Research Awards

Each year ESG Research Australia hosts an awards ceremony to award the best research on Australian equities.

The three awards given are listed below.

Best New Piece of ESG Research

This award is determined on the basis of ESG RA member nominations, with shortlisted nominations assessed by the ESG RA Research Evaluation Committee against the criteria of integration and usability, rigour, originality and reliability.

Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research

This is awarded to the Individual Analyst or team of analysts who write the best ongoing individual ESG related research report as judged by the ESG RA research evaluation committee.

Best ESG Broking Firm

This is awarded to the best overall ESG Broking Firm as Voted by ESG RA Investment Managers and superannuation funds that directly manage Australian equities investments.

These awards are designed to recognise and promote the important part that brokers can play in identifying and assessing the impact of environmental, social and governance matters on investments and investment returns.

11th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards

Modern slavery and human rights showed increased dominance in environmental, social and governance research aimed at informing and driving more responsible investment in Australia over the last year, following the far-reaching local and global impacts of COVID-19.

At the 11^th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards held today at the RI Australia 2021 conference from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), Citi, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse took out awards for excellence in ESG research by a broker. An additional award from the RIAA was also presented to the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility for new ESG research by a non-broker.

The winners of this year’s ESG Research Australia Awards are:

Best Piece of New ESG Research:
Nothing to lose but chains – A modern take on slavery for investors, by Zoe Whitton and Edward McKinnon, Citi
Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research:
CEO incentives and analyst expectations, by Sameer Chopra et al., Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Best ESG Broking Firm: Credit Suisse

The winner of RIAA’s ESG Research Award recognising excellence in investor relevant ESG research by a non-broking firm is:

Best Piece of Investor Relevant ESG Research (non-broking firm):
Labour Hire & Contracting Across the ASX100, by Dr Katie Hepworth, Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility

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View RIAA Award Report

10th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards

Topical issues of plastics and water scarcity, along with continued strong interest in climate change are among the key issues being researched within the finance industry to inform and drive more responsible investment in Australia.

At the 10^th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards, Citi, Macquarie and Credit Suisse took out awards for excellence in ESG research by a broker. An additional award from the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) was also presented to Ausbil Investment Management and the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors for new ESG research by a non-broker.

COVID-19 presents the greatest of challenges to investors, and early signs are that many responsible investment funds and companies are holding up better than their peers. Investors rely on robust and rigorous ESG research and data to help navigate turbulent times, which is why RIAA is pleased to recognise the leaders in this important research.

The ESG RA Awards, attended by Australia’s leading superannuation funds, fund managers and broking firms, recognise excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) research published by broking firms.

The winners of this year’s ESG Research Australia Awards are:

Best Piece of New ESG Research:
2 degree or not 2 degree: The ins and outs of scenario analysis in real life, by Zoe Whitton and Edward McKinnon, Citi
Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research:
Macquarie’s 2019 ESG Ratings Survey, by Anita Stanley and Linda Carlanita, Macquarie
Best ESG Broking Firm: Credit Suisse

The winner of RIAA’s ESG Research Award recognising excellence in investor relevant ESG research by a non-broking firm is:

• Best Piece of Investor Relevant ESG Research (non-broking firm):
Modern Slavery Reporting – guide for investors, by Mans Carlsson-Sweeny, Ausbil Investment Management and Kate Griffiths and Ian McIlwraith, Australian Council of Superannuation Investors. The Guide was an initiative of ACSI and RIAA’s Human Rights Working Group.

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View RIAA Award Report

9th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards

Executive pay and climate change are among the key issues being researched and valued within the finance industry to inform and drive more responsible investment in Australia.

At the 9th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards held at the RI Australia 2018 conference in Melbourne tonight, Citi and Bank of America Merrill Lynch took out the awards for excellence in ESG research by a broker. A new award from RIAA was also jointly presented to MSCI and the Centre for Policy Development for new ESG research by a non-broker.

The winners of this year’s ESG Research Australia Awards are:

Best Piece of New ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team:

Bigger, Badder and more Opaque: The Task ahead for Investors Undertaking 2 Degree Scenario Analysis, by Zoe Whitton and Edward McKinnon, Citi

Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team:

CEO Incentives and Analyst Expectations for ASX100 Companies, by Sameer Chopra et al, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Best ESG Broking Firm:

Citi

The 2018 joint-winners for RIAA’s new ESG Research Award – recognising excellence in investor relevant ESG research by a non-broking firm are:

Best Piece of Investor Relevant ESG Research (non-broking firm):

Climate Horizons Report: Scenarios and Strategies for Managing Climate Riskby Sam Hurley and Kate Mackenzie, Centre for Policy Development (with input from ClimateWorks Australia)

AND

Alignment to climate regulatory scenarios: A case study of Australian companiesby Brendan Baker and Morgan Ellis, MSCI ESG Research

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8th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards

ESG Research Australia the 8th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards luncheon in Sydney on the 9th May 2017.

ESG Research Australia is an initiative of RIAA and comprises of leading Australian superannuation funds, fund managers and assets consultants with the single objective of increasing the quality and quantity of broker research in Australia that includes the consideration of ESG issues.

Held annually, the Awards luncheon brings together the investment community to celebrate the best ESG broker and ESG broker research over the calendar year, as nominated by ESG RA members.

ESG Research Australia was pleased to welcome Fiona Hick of Woodside Energy Ltd, as one of the guest speakers on this years panel discussion at the ESG RA Awards. Fiona, who was appointed Vice President Health, Safety, Environment and Quality in 2016 shared her unique prespective with attendees on the topic of Safety which has been a reoccuring theme in the nominations for this years awards.

Join us in Sydney in May to congratulate this year’s award recipients and hear from the experienced panel debating many of the relevant issues raised in the nominated research.

The winners of this year’s ESG Research Australia Awards are:

Best Piece of New ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team:
Get Inside the Carbon Black Box, Look Down the Carbon Value Chain by Sandra McCullagh and Zoe Whitton, Credit Suisse
Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team:
Safety Spotlight: ASX100 Companies & More by Elaine Prior and Joel Quintal, Citi
Best ESG Broking Firm: Citi

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View Research Report

7th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards

ESG Research Australia along with the Responsible Investment Association Australasia would like to thank their members and guests for attending the 7th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards.

A big congratulations go to this year’s winners:

Best piece of new ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: Risks in Paydal Lending and Goods Rental by Sandra McCullagh and Chris Parks of Credit Suisse
Best Piece of Ongoing ESG Research by an Individual Analyst or Team: Australian ESG/SRI AGM Series by Sandra McCullagh and Chris Parks of Credit Suisse
Best ESG Broking Firm: Citi

You can find a detailed Awards report here that includes detailed analysis of Australia’s ESG broker research from 2015, key themes, key brokers, nominations and summaries of the award recipients.

A copy of the media release for the event can be found here.

Once again we would like to thank our primary sponsor Maple-Brown Abbott, prize sponsor UCA Funds Management and the members for making the event a success.