PGGM among investors backing G7 diversity, development project

PGGM, Allianz, Generali and other European institutional investors are among a group of 12 large companies backing a project to push forward G7 objectives on development, gender diversity in finance, and climate-related disclosures.

The investors – including Natixis Investment and Aviva – are working with the Canadian government on the plan and have all pledged to commit resources, expertise and networks to further three initiatives.

The initiatives include: boosting expertise in infrastructure financing and development in emerging and frontier economies; opening opportunities for women in finance and investment worldwide; and speeding up the implementation of comparable climate-related disclosures.

Canadian pension funds Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan are leading the investor group, which also includes Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, AIMCo, OMERS and OPTrust, as well as US public pension fund CalPERS.

Together the investors have more than $6trn (€5.1trn) under management, according to announcement from the group.

Eloy Lindeijer, CIO of PGGM, said: “Through our participation in the G7 Institutional Investor Initiatives, PGGM is able to contribute to the important sustainability agenda of the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Canada.”

Maurice Tulloch, chief executive of international insurance at Aviva, said that in order to achieve the commitment made by governments internationally for a more sustainable future, financial flows and markets had to be reoriented and to become more sustainable.

“This global initiative is a critical step to supporting our joint vision of responsible, long-term, investment,” he said.

The CFA Institute announced that, as part of the plan, it had been picked along with its international network of societies to create more opportunities in finance and investment management by setting up an internship programme.

The programme would focus on women studying at university in certain developing markets, the organisation said.