The year 2023 has proven to be a tumultuous period for corporate Australia, marked by a series of corporate scandals and significant shareholder dissent at AGMs. Notably, a record number of ASX300 companies recorded strikes against their remuneration reports, marking the highest tally since the introduction of the two-strike rule in 2011.    Analysing these vote results is crucial for investors, corporate leaders, and governance bodies alike, offering key insights into the future of responsible investment and corporate accountability in Australia.    Performance accountabil ..read more

Have you ever wondered if your organisation’s commitment to diversity goes beyond gender? Let’s explore the compelling case for embracing inclusion across diverse groups, including individuals with disabilities, and how it can revolutionisze Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts.   Let the numbers speak   People with disabilities make up around 20% of the global population, yet are employed at a rate 30% lower than the general population, and make up a negligible percentage of corporate boards. In Australia, only 53% are in the labour force, compared to 84% without disa ..read more

“We believe it is important to actively contribute to thought leadership and have a strong voice in the space, as positive change is underpinned by collaboration and shared knowledge.” See certified funds   About Alphinity   Alphinity is an active equities investment manager based in Sydney. Alphinity was established in 2010 to specialise in Australian equity investments. In 2015, Alphinity expanded into global equities, applying the same investment philosophy to a larger set of opportunities outside of Australia.    Commitment to responsible investment   Stephane An ..read more

In finishing up at RIAA after over a decade in the role, it has given me pause to reflect on how this industry, our organisation and our members have changed and evolved so far in that time.   Back in 2013, we were celebrating the growth in responsible investments which reached 15% of all professionally managed assets across both Australia and New Zealand. As I wrap up here, it’s incredible to think that this sector has evolved to a point where we now see over 90% of the investment sector with commitments to responsible investment. The RIAA community now constitutes more than 500 investme ..read more

RIAA disagrees with the recent article, “Watering down super fund tests risks lower returns” published by the The Australian Financial Review. The Your Future, Your Super (YFYS) performance test is having a direct impact on the movement of capital to climate transition and achieving a net-zero economy.   While the policy objectives of YFYS, aiming to empower super members to better understand how their money is invested is a positive thing, we consider there are unintended consequences of a policy which relies on measuring performance against a benchmark based on a market that has hi ..read more

The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) is pleased to announce Pollination as the Principal Partner of our Nature Working Group for the financial year of 2024.   As a global leader in finance, investment, technology, business, law and policy, Pollination is a specialist climate change and nature investment and advisory firm, accelerating the transition to a net zero, nature positive future. Globally, Pollination collaborates with clients to navigate the climate transition and is in the process of developing several net zero and nature focused investment platforms.   ..read more

“We hadn’t yet taken the product to market, so a specialist assessment by RIAA added significant rigour and value at the right time.”     See certified funds       About Maple-Brown Abbott     Maple-Brown Abbott is a domestic, privately-owned boutique fund manager with approximately A$9 billion in assets under management. With origins dating back almost 40 years, Maple-Brown Abbott focuses on active management of differentiated listed equity strategies. As one of the earliest Australian managers to sign up to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, Mapl ..read more

By Kate Turner and Belinda White     Where to start? How do we process the decision that Australia will not change our constitution and enshrine a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples? Perhaps we need to go further back, to Paul Keating’s famous Redfern speech, some 30 years ago.   “We cannot imagine that the descendants of people whose genius and resilience maintained a culture here through fifty thousand years or more, through cataclysmic changes to the climate and environment, and who then survived two centuries of dispossession and abuse, wil ..read more

See certified funds   About Emit Capital   Emit Capital Asset Management (ECAM) is a global investment manager with a core focus on climate finance investments. Their approach reflects a strong commitment to addressing climate change through responsible and strategic investment choices. ECAM invests in companies that are actively working towards achieving a net zero carbon emissions goal and are well-positioned to benefit from the global energy transition. They incorporate ESG and impact values into their investment decisions to ensure their investments are socially responsible and ..read more

With the election coming up, it’s critical that Aotearoa New Zealand doesn’t lose focus on sustainable finance.   Finance is being recognised as a critical lever by governments around the world to support and drive the rapid transition underway towards a clean and prosperous low carbon economy in line with Paris Agreement targets.   Governments around the world are setting out clear sustainable finance strategies that help to align public and private sector finance in support of the big climate and sustainability challenges of our times. These efforts aim to unlock the investment req ..read more