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For fixed-income investors, understanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors – as they are financially material to performance – has proven to be critical in assessing an issuer’s fundamental quality.

Variations in personal circumstances show that a uniform rate of SG cannot be effective in targeting adequacy for all. However, we must choose a suitable rate – one that provides adequacy for most while not being excessively generous to too many.

Last week’s wellbeing budget in New Zealand was based on the Livings Standards Framework (LSF), a set of wellbeing measures that include cultural identity, environment, income and consumption, and social connections. But these provide no overall index of the nation’s performance.

The Australian Labor Party’s 2019 election campaign showed a depth and breadth of economic policies rare for an opposition party to present. Its policy agenda was boldly extensive. But in developing these policies over the past five years, it seems Labor’s economic minds overlooked some fundamental principles of behavioural economics.

The Coalition has put forward a scheme to help first home buyers get into homes, under which the government will underwrite a loan of 15 per cent of the value of the home, to be treated as part of their deposit, taking a deposit of 5 per cent up to 20 per cent.

As the federal election approaches, we’re expected to drown in slogans like “lower taxes”, “wage growth”, “franking credit reform” or “negative gearing reforms”. These mostly assume voters are as obsessed as the politicians with economic and financial issues, rather than, say, the kind of Australia they want their grandchildren to live in. There’s no doubt…

One of the largest and oldest ESG-specialist fund managers in the world, Calvert Research and Management, has entered the Australian market following its purchase last year by Eaton Vance. Calvert provides a different perspective on the topic than most other managers. Anthony Eames, the vice president and director of the main ‘Responsible Investment Strategy’ at…

Comment by Greg Bright It may seem like a small sample – just 50 investment professionals of big super funds, plus a sprinkling of consultants and managers – but it signifies what appears to be a growing movement to push back against the merger trend promoted by APRA and some industry commentators. The question: “In…

The Australian Custodial Services Association has announced several board changes while unveiling its annual award winners to members last week. The board changes follow several years of honorary work by directors on the detail of new regulations. Hosted by Citi, the members’ dinner represented the first in a series of ACSA events for the year….

An impressive array of senior industry figures will attend the fifth annual Chant West Super Fund Awards presentations, at a gala dinner on May 24. Master of ceremonies for the black-tie function, at Sydney’s Ivy Ballroom, will be Martin Fahy, the ASFA chief executive. Chant West’s ‘VIPs’ attending from the industry include: Helen Rowell, deputy…

The Rainmaker Information goup’s MAX Awards, organised by its publication ‘Financial Standard’, seem to have taken on a life of their own. The ‘people’s choice’ type of voting has created an increasing amount of interest in the industry each year in the lead-up to the awards night. Nominated companies muster support from staff, from friends,…

Byram Johnston, the co-founder of MainstreamBPO, has transitioned from chief executive to executive chair of the listed company, in a move which is more important to the funds management admin industry than it seems. Funds management admin is going through a shake-up. If you listen to Byram, now a veteran in that part of the…