Weekly ESG News: Financial Services and Insurance Industry
UBS AM launches US dividend aristocrats ESG ETF
With the debut of an S&P US dividend aristocrats ETF, UBS Asset Management has increased the selection of its “ESG Elite” products. The UBS ETF S&P USA Dividend Aristocrats ESG Elite UCITS ETF has a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.40% and is traded on the Deutsche Boerse, SIX Swiss Exchange, Euronext Milan, and the London Stock Exchange. The companies will adhere to ESG standards and a managed-dividend strategy that will see dividends steadily rise each year for a minimum twenty years.
Weekly Sustainable Finance Newsletter 27/2023
ESG News of the last week in detail
Products and Service
Franklin Templeton Launches Two New Sustainable, Thematic ETFs
Companies engaged in sustainable practices across the healthcare, wellness and food networks are the focus of the new thematic ETFs: Franklin Future of Food UCITS ETF and Franklin Future of Health and Wellness UCITS ETF. The new ETFs are classified as Article 8 under EU SFDR with stock selection aligned to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They will provide access to important secular growth stories. Franklin Templeton claims that new, sustainable ETFs have the potential to outperform traditional indices.
Crédit Agricole launches a new division to promote ESG across the company
Regulatory and Law
Singapore's Sustainability Reporting Advisory Committee recommends mandatory climate reporting
Conor Kehoe has been chosen by the board of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), an organization backed by the UN, to serve as the organization’s chair beginning in 2024. Conor’s nomination will be formally made at the PRI’s upcoming Signatory General Meeting on September 13. His appointment will be finalized if a simple majority of PRI signatories, including a simple majority of asset owner signatories, vote to confirm him for the position. Conor has significant experience in a variety of functions. He was most notable for his 30 years with McKinsey & Co., where he co-founded the business’ Investor and Private Equity division.
Leadership Announcements
PRI announces Conor Kehoe as nominee for Chair
Conor Kehoe has been chosen by the board of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), an organization backed by the UN, to serve as the organization’s chair beginning in 2024. Conor’s nomination will be formally made at the PRI’s upcoming Signatory General Meeting on September 13. His appointment will be finalized if a simple majority of PRI signatories, including a simple majority of asset owner signatories, vote to confirm him for the position. Conor has significant experience in a variety of functions. He was most notable for his 30 years with McKinsey & Co., where he co-founded the business’ Investor and Private Equity division.
Green- and ESG Bond Issuances
Aeroporto di Roma places EUR 400m sustainability-linked bond
Aeroporti di Roma’s new Sustainability-Linked Bond, which directly relates the cost of debt to the sustainability results actually delivered, was successfully placed yesterday. Institutional investors are the focus of the €400 million, 10-year operation. With this transaction, ADR confirms its sustainable development strategy with a share of “sustainable” debt that now exceeds 60%, and could increase further. This follows the issuance of the first Sustainability-Linked Bond in the history of an airport operator in 2021 and its initial Green Bond in 2020. The enterprise has attracted significant attention from operators who specialize in “ESG” investments on a global scale, with requests that are nearly five times the offer and total orders of around €1.9 billion.