Retail supply chain management, workplace safety, gender diversity on boards, farming and antibiotic use, and climate change are among the key issues being researched by broking firms in Australia to inform responsible investment strategies.
At the 8th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards held in Sydney today, Citi and Credit Suisse took out the awards for excellence in ESG research.
The Awards, attended by Australia’s leading superannuation funds, fund managers and broking firms, recognise excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) research with three awards, including best new ESG research, best ongoing research and best ESG broking firm.
30 pieces of ESG research conducted during 2016 were nominated from seven broking firms, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), Citi, CLSA, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Macquarie Bank. Nominations were assessed by the ESG RA Research Evaluation Committee, comprising superannuation funds and fund managers.
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
Elaine Prior, the outgoing Managing Director/ESG Analyst of Citi Research was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her longstanding leadership and service to the ESG industry.
The nominated research from 2016 explored a variety of ESG topics, with coverage of social issues continuing to grow, and new topics emerging including food safety. There was also a resurgence in the coverage of environmental issues including environmental rehabilitation, alongside a continued focus on climate change.
“At a time when responsible investment has become the benchmark of good investment practice, it’s becoming even more critical that we have high quality ESG research” said Simon O’Connor, CEO of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).
“This ESG research plays a critical role in informing the analysis and decision-making of some of Australia’s largest institutional investors and the conversations these investors are having with Australian companies,” he added.
“The high quality ESG inclusive broker research we are seeing being produced is a testament to the quality of analysts focussing on ESG” said Rob Fowler, Chair of ESG Research Australia.
“In presenting the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Elaine Prior, we are recognising the analyst who set the bar for all analysts who followed” he added.
Supported by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia, ESG RA is an Australian initiative comprising superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants with the single objective of increasing the quantity and quality of ESG broker research in Australia.
ESG RA membership currently represents over 50 institutions managing well in excess of $1 trillion in assets under management, and includes some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Carly Hammond on 0430 448 422 or carlyh@responsibleinvestment.org
responsibleinvestment.org/esgra
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Retail supply chain management, workplace safety, gender diversity on boards, farming and antibiotic use, and climate change are among the key issues being researched by broking firms in Australia to inform responsible investment strategies.
At the 8th Annual ESG Research Australia Awards held in Sydney today, Citi and Credit Suisse took out the awards for excellence in ESG research.
The Awards, attended by Australia’s leading superannuation funds, fund managers and broking firms, recognise excellence in environmental, social and governance (ESG) research with three awards, including best new ESG research, best ongoing research and best ESG broking firm.
30 pieces of ESG research conducted during 2016 were nominated from seven broking firms, including Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), Citi, CLSA, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Macquarie Bank. Nominations were assessed by the ESG RA Research Evaluation Committee, comprising superannuation funds and fund managers.
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
Elaine Prior, the outgoing Managing Director/ESG Analyst of Citi Research was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her longstanding leadership and service to the ESG industry.
The nominated research from 2016 explored a variety of ESG topics, with coverage of social issues continuing to grow, and new topics emerging including food safety. There was also a resurgence in the coverage of environmental issues including environmental rehabilitation, alongside a continued focus on climate change.
“At a time when responsible investment has become the benchmark of good investment practice, it’s becoming even more critical that we have high quality ESG research” said Simon O’Connor, CEO of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).
“This ESG research plays a critical role in informing the analysis and decision-making of some of Australia’s largest institutional investors and the conversations these investors are having with Australian companies,” he added.
“The high quality ESG inclusive broker research we are seeing being produced is a testament to the quality of analysts focussing on ESG” said Rob Fowler, Chair of ESG Research Australia.
“In presenting the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award to Elaine Prior, we are recognising the analyst who set the bar for all analysts who followed” he added.
Supported by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia, ESG RA is an Australian initiative comprising superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants with the single objective of increasing the quantity and quality of ESG broker research in Australia.
ESG RA membership currently represents over 50 institutions managing well in excess of $1 trillion in assets under management, and includes some of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, fund managers and asset consultants.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact Carly Hammond on 0430 448 422 or carlyh@responsibleinvestment.org
responsibleinvestment.org/esgra
