Creditflux

Investors increasingly see ESG as fiduciary duty, State Street survey reveals
North American investors are most likely to view ESG as a fiduciary duty, while European investors are driven by regulation, performance and reputational risk, according to results from a survey conducted by State Street Global Advisors

Managers dispel myth that lenders can’t influence ESG
There’s a growing belief among credit fund managers that they can influence borrowers to take on ESG-friendly practices, contrary to the widely-accepted notion that the business practices of companies are dictated by their private equity owners.

ESG integration is part of fiduciary duty, finds UNPRI
The United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) report ‘Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century’, published late last month, concludes that ESG is a source of investment value, ending debate that using ESG criteria might violate fiduciary duties.

Eiffel seeks ESG loans as French lenders adopt LuxFlag label
Private debt managers are applying for the Luxembourg Finance Labelling Agency’s (LuxFlag) approval in ESG-centric strategies.

Newly formed Italian asset manager launches direct lending fund
Equita Capital is seeking a first close of its second private debt fund by February 2020, Creditflux has learnt. The fund is understood to have an ESG focus  

Schroders integrates ESG into corporate revolving credit facility
The firm is the first asset manager to convert its corporate revolving credit facility into an ESG-linked facility, it claims, and will link pricing to three ESG-related key performance indicators

Capital Four upsizes debut CLO, but capital stack diverges
Triple-A pricing and that of more junior tranches is on a path of divergence, as evidenced by the marketing of debut CLO manager Capital Four Management

Public private sector partnership launches impact debt fund
Warrington Borough Council and Altana Wealth have joined forces to launch a private debt fund that invests in social impact investments in the UK  

ESG phenomenon leads to talk of incentive fee models
For asset managers that are diving into environmental social and governance (ESG) investment standards, an ugly truth is the lack of any standardised performance fees. But that could change as more investors begin picking and choosing allocations based on ESG rubrics.

Direct lending across the Atlantic: Creditflux unveils two direct lending reports
Creditflux is pleased to unveil two direct lending reports with the third edition of European Direct Lending Perspectives now available, along with the inaugural US Private Credit Perspectives report.

ESG education top priority for 42% of institutional investors, CFA Society finds
Global Institutional investors are increasingly adopting ESG into their investment decision making – but education on the topic and quality ESG data are needed to help them progress, according to a survey conducted by CFA Society in New York

Beyond blacklists: the next step in ESG
Credit managers are integrating ESG into their investment processes, but that does not mean they are unable to invest in unethical credits — they can, if they are paid adequately for the risk.

ABS investors show increased interest in green securitisations to reach EU climate targets
Securitisation is being touted as a tool to help close the yearly investment gap of €180 billion needed to achieve the EU’s climate and energy targets by 2030, as identified in the European Commission’s sustainable finance action plan, which was published last year.

CLOs finally get green cards as ESG makes its way to US market
The rapid rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) guidelines in financial markets has made its way across to the US CLO market, with several managers and investors last month announcing strategies geared towards ESG compliance.

They said it: "Oh no, it’s that f***ing ESG thing again"
A conference attendee is heard voicing his displeasure that lines between CLOs and ethical investing are blurring

Federated's US and European businesses launch high yield impact funds
Federated Investors, Hermes Investment Management and UBS have joined forces to launch new high yield credit funds, which are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework. The vehicles take the form of a Ucits offering and a mutual fund

Danish pensions join forces on green strategy
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has announced that Danish pension funds are set to commit DKK350 billion in green investments, during an event prior to UN Climate Summit in New York  

Rockford Tower set to join group of ESG European CLO managers
Rockford Tower Capital Management is set to join the group of European managers to issue environmental, social and governance (ESG) complaint CLOs, according to market sources

Pictet adds emerging market debt fund with ESG focus
Pictet Asset Management has added to its emerging market debt fund suite with the launch of a Luxembourg-domiciled mutual fund

Schroders appoints head of sustainable credit
The hire, Schroders anticipates, will "deliver the very best in ESG credit investment solutions for clients"

Purdue Pharma bankruptcy highlights value of ESG analysis
Purdue Pharma's bankruptcy this week, and the sector wide concern over the US opioid epidemic, has highlighted the utility of environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards in credit analyses

Aviva expands ESG private debt capabilities
Asset manager Aviva Investors has appointed Ed Dixon to serve as head of head of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) within real assets, including private debt.  

Zais revamps credit policy to reflect ESG
Zais Group has become the latest credit manager to implement an environmental, social and governance policy across its business

University foundation searches for 'alternative' asset manager
Vancouver Island University Foundation (VIUF) has launched a request for proposal (RFP), seeking an alternative manager for a CAD3.5 million portfolio