The Dutch pension fund says it will push for improvements in ESG practices of its portfolio companies in South Korea and Japan with active engagement, including lobbying the government and the media and using its voting rights.
Hugo Cox
Major asset owners, such as APG, NZ Super and AustralianSuper, are looking to invest in data centres in Asia even as the demand for these assets outstrips the current supply.
Digital infrastructure and renewables are at the heart of the Canadian pension fund’s Asia strategy — not to mention key sectors for anticipated Asian demand.
Australia’s largest super fund says it will make its first allocations to the sector in Asia and Europe within five years.
The leading Dutch pension fund is beefing up its real estate headcount as it looks for more opportunities - and alpha - beyond developed Asia.
Australia’s second largest super fund has emphasised its commitment to affordable housing at the same time as a leading campaigner for affordable housing has criticised Korea’s NPS over its property investments.
The social impact of buildings remains elusive, particularly in Asia, as investors attempt to make the assessment of 'S' in ESG more systemic.
Contrasting approaches of divestment versus engagement between the different funds have attracted both praise and criticism.
When it comes to specific ESG opportunities, private markets are still ahead of public markets, according to two leading ANZ super funds.
For most of the financial world, divesting Russian assets has become something of a badge of honour. Investors in APAC and elsewhere, meanwhile, are for the most part remaining tight-lipped.
Asset managers are increasing the pressure on Australian companies to say more about how they deal with modern slavery issues in their supply chains.
More attention needs to be paid to pollution reporting by companies, their compliance to ESG standards, and commercial gains for companies that adhere to standards, asset owners say.
