British companies are losing out – potentially by over £130bn a year – because they lack clear corporate purposes that unite all stakeholders in common goals and values, according to the interim report by the Purposeful Company Taskforce, which was established by the Big Innovation Centre. The taskforce believes that having companies with a clear purpose makes them […]
Read More…as the UK’s Financial Reporting Council finalises auditor rules The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published final drafts of the latest UK corporate governance code and the associated guidance on audit committees so they will meet the requirements of forthcoming legislation on audit committees and auditor appointments. This forms part of the UK’s implementation of the EU’s […]
Read MoreAlthough the awareness of responsible investment is growing, implementing the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is still proving a challenge 10 years on, according to an independent report assessing the impact of the PRI which was launched in 2006 as a partnership between the UN Global Compact and UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). The […]
Read MoreRailpen veteran, Frank Curtiss, who was most recently been its head of corporate governance, has retired. The pension fund has been at the forefront of active institutional investment and was one of the first to vote actively on its equity holdings in the UK and published a voting and corporate governance policy in 1992. Curtiss joined Railpen in […]
Read MoreThe Investment Association (IA) has published an industry-wide Productivity Action Plan which it believes will boost the UK economy through long-term investment, helping to reverse the UK’s productivity problem. The action plan aims to encourage the provision of more long-term finance for companies and enhance investor stewardship. The proposals were developed by a steering committee made up of […]
Read MoreThe United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative has launched a report, How Asset Owners Can Drive Responsible Investment: Beliefs, Strategy and Mandates, calling on asset owners to do more to reflect ESG risks and opportunities in their investment beliefs and mandates. The report, states that although many asset owners have made commitments to responsible investment, the majority […]
Read MoreThe UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has written to institutional investors highlighting the key issues they should be considering ahead of the peak season of company shareholder meetings. The letter from Stephen Hadrill, FRC chief executive, reminded investors that this is the first year of enhanced reporting on risk and internal control and the inclusion of a […]
Read MoreThe first-ever ranking of the world’s largest publicly listed companies on their human rights performance, the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark (CHRB) has been launched beginning with a pilot benchmark process. The final scores will be available in November this year. The 2016 pilot benchmark will rank the top 100 companies in the agricultural products, apparel, and extractive industries using […]
Read MoreHong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced voluntary principles to provide guidance on how investors should fulfil their ownership responsibilities when investing in Hong Kong listed companies. The SFC has published revised principles and responded to a consultation it held last year on its Principles of Responsible Ownership. Investors who choose not to adopt these principles are encouraged […]
Read MoreAs automatic-enrolment workplace pensions are rolled out to more employees UK pressure group, ShareAction, which campaigns to achieve ‘an investment system that truly serves savers and communities, and protects our environment for the long term’, has produced its first benchmarking survey of the market. The nine leading pension providers in this market were examined and an overall benchmark score […]
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