Malaysian logging giant dropped by Norway pension fund

Malaysian logging multinational, Samling Global, has been excluded by Norway’s Ministry of Finance from the portfolio of its Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG). The Ministry’s statement, released recently, stated that it had based its decision on the recommendation of Norway’s Council on Ethics. Aside from Samling, two Israeli companies, Africa Israel Investments Ltd and Danya Cebus Ltd, have been removed from GPFG’s investment portfolio. Read more

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Can Ethical Funds Save Malaysia?

By Daniel Chandranayagam

Malaysia, according to news reports, is fast losing its lustre as a place for foreign investors to dive in. Interestingly, ten middle-income emerging economies have been named: Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, Poland, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Iran, Argentina and Thailand; said to be the “new motor for the global economy”, according to Martin Walker, a senior director of US-based A.T. Kearney’s Global Business Council, in the Bangkok Post. Read more

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Responsible Investment Portfolios Perform as Well or Even Better

The majority of fund managers has said that responsible investment portfolios have performed the same or better than other investments, according to a recent survey.

A new report, which explores high net worth (HNW) individuals’ perceptions of responsible investment (RI) and its implementation across the wealth management industry, was published recently. The report, “Responsible Investment and Wealth Management: Opportunities for the future”, was put together by RI specialists, EIRIS, and published in association with wealth management newswire, WealthBriefing, and the leading private bank, Kleinwort Benson.

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Social Investment Fund Set to Do Good in Low-Income Communities

Living Cities and Green For All recently announced the Energy Efficiency Opportunity Fund after the closing session of the Clinton Global Initiative’s Annual Meeting. This groundbreaking fund will finance innovative efforts to retrofit homes, businesses and community facilities to achieve greater energy efficiency, while also creating jobs and cutting energy costs for low-income families in the United States. Read more

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Investing Responsibly

By Daniel Chandranayagam

While South-East Asia might be slow on the uptake, sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) is fast becoming the financial trend in the West. According to Reuters, fund manager RCM states that such investments “offer a unique diversifying opportunity”. SRI is an approach designed to pick companies which manage environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks.

As an illustration of this phenomenon, Reuters states that nearly 600 asset owners, investment managers and professional service partners representing a total of USD18 billion have signed up to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a United Nations-led framework. Read more

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First CSR-Oriented Islamic Finance Survey

A first-of-its-kind Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) survey on Islamic finance institutions is currently being undertaken by two leading Islamic finance industry service providers, DinarStandard and Dar Al Istithmar. Read more

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Rise in Demand for Clean Money

The world’s only dedicated alternative energy and cleantech focused investment bank was recently launched in June 2009. Greentech Capital Advisors, LLC, helmed by Jeffrey A. McDermott, a 25-year banking veteran, focusses on alternative energy space, a dynamic and expanding sector driven by climate change.

The company offers clients a comprehensive set of capabilities across the project finance, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions markets, with a blue chip roster of partners with significant expertise. McDermott, founder of Greentech and former Joint Global Head of UBS Investment Banking, recently gave the CSR Digest an interview via email.

CSRD: What motivated you to form Greentech Capital Advisors?

JM: The alternative energy and cleantech sectors are projected to grow significantly in the next decades, as we work to find more efficient ways to utilise finite resources and to combat climate change. There is currently a significant unmet need for high-quality advisory services for companies and investors in these dynamic sectors. We want to meet this need by providing a dedicated team of experienced bankers, leading domain knowledge and a singular focus on alternative energy and cleantech. Read more

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