ESG research firm Sustainalytics has announced the acquisition of information technology partner Share Dimension. Claudiu Tanasescu, founder and CEO of Share Dimension, and his seven-person software development team will join Amsterdam-based Sustainalytics, with Tanasescu also becoming managing director of the company’s Romanian office.
"Bringing Share Dimension on board makes perfect sense, having worked together to develop the Sustainalytics platform in recent years," said Sustainalytics CEO Michael Jantzi. "More importantly, the acquisition enhances Sustainalytics' technological capacity to present our insights to clients and support day-to-day responsible investment decision making."
"The entire Share Dimension team is extremely happy to join the Sustainalytics family," added Tanasescu. "It allows us to better leverage our skills to continue to improve the state-of-the-art Sustainalytics Global Platform and to assist our colleagues in fulfilling Sustainalytics' commitment to being trusted advisors to our clients around the world."
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
SRI Monitor Weekly News Update
Is sustainability now the key to corporate success?...read it now
Companies that adopted environmental, social and governance policies in the 1990s have outperformed those that didn't!!!
The Infinite-Planet Approach Won't Solve the European Debt Crisis...read it now
demanding but definitely worth reading when you have time to think it through
The perils of cleantech investing...read it now
The nuts of bolts of a venture capital investment
Sustainability-Minded Investing Makes Dollars and Sense...read it now
a debate between the Hip guy and the Vice guy
compiled with the assistance of Nick Searle
Companies that adopted environmental, social and governance policies in the 1990s have outperformed those that didn't!!!
The Infinite-Planet Approach Won't Solve the European Debt Crisis...read it now
demanding but definitely worth reading when you have time to think it through
The perils of cleantech investing...read it now
The nuts of bolts of a venture capital investment
Sustainability-Minded Investing Makes Dollars and Sense...read it now
a debate between the Hip guy and the Vice guy
compiled with the assistance of Nick Searle
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
SIO to stick with SRI
Following an extensive review, the Social Investment Organization has decided to retain its name as well as the SRI brand.
“After surveying members of the SIO, the board believes that there is strength in the SIO name and in the SRI brand,” SIO executive director Eugene Ellmen said in a letter to members. “While many members feel that a change is in order, the board believes that SIO and SRI have good and favourable recognition by the industry, media and public.”
“While the brand SRI may not be perfect, it has good recognition, a growing following in the investment industry, and a proud history of achievement,” Ellmen adds.
The term “socially responsible investing” has fallen out of favour in recent years, with advocates instead preferring to use language such as sustainable investing and ESG.
Ellmen concedes there may be some benefits to a name or branding change, but says the board believes that the potential benefits do not outweigh the costs. “The real task at hand is to get out and communicate the industry’s achievements, rather than focusing on branding issues.”
To that end, the SIO will create a new logo and graphic identity for the organization, and re-design its website. In keeping with widespread international practice, the acronym SRI will be used to include “sustainable and responsible investment,” where appropriate, Ellmen says.
The SIO will also lead an effort by national SRI associations in other countries to develop common terminology and definitions as part of a global effort to prepare a harmonized international report on SRI in late 2012.
“After surveying members of the SIO, the board believes that there is strength in the SIO name and in the SRI brand,” SIO executive director Eugene Ellmen said in a letter to members. “While many members feel that a change is in order, the board believes that SIO and SRI have good and favourable recognition by the industry, media and public.”
“While the brand SRI may not be perfect, it has good recognition, a growing following in the investment industry, and a proud history of achievement,” Ellmen adds.
The term “socially responsible investing” has fallen out of favour in recent years, with advocates instead preferring to use language such as sustainable investing and ESG.
Ellmen concedes there may be some benefits to a name or branding change, but says the board believes that the potential benefits do not outweigh the costs. “The real task at hand is to get out and communicate the industry’s achievements, rather than focusing on branding issues.”
To that end, the SIO will create a new logo and graphic identity for the organization, and re-design its website. In keeping with widespread international practice, the acronym SRI will be used to include “sustainable and responsible investment,” where appropriate, Ellmen says.
The SIO will also lead an effort by national SRI associations in other countries to develop common terminology and definitions as part of a global effort to prepare a harmonized international report on SRI in late 2012.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Cleantech investment seen falling in 2012
Cleantech research and advisory firm Kachan & Co. predicts a decline in worldwide cleantech venture capital investing in 2012.
“There are eggshells across the sector for 2012,” Kachan notes in its year-end report. “Global economic uncertainty in particular is leaving some skeptical about the chances for emerging clean technologies.”
Kachan points to a slowdown in China’s economic engine as well as conflicting government policy signals as potential negative factors for the cleantech sector. “Don’t expect cleantech-friendly U.S. policy leadership in 2012, an election year.”
On the plus side, oil prices are forecast to rise in 2012, corporations are expected to take an even stronger leadership role and investment in solar innovation projects is “still strong and has remained so for years, while other clean technologies have risen and fallen in and out of investment fashion.”
Kachan called for an increase in global cleantech venture investment in 2011 when some others were predicting a cleantech collapse. “We were right. At this writing, total investment for the first three quarters of 2011 is already $6.876 billion, with the fourth quarter to report early in 2012. Given historical patterns, we expect 2011 to close out at a total of $8.8 billion in venture capital invested into cleantech globally. That’d be the highest total in three years, and second only to the highest year on record: 2008.”
“All in all, if you’re a cleantech entrepreneur seeking capital, our advice is brush up that PowerPoint and work the system now… while there’s still a system to work.”
Kachan’s predictions are available here.
“There are eggshells across the sector for 2012,” Kachan notes in its year-end report. “Global economic uncertainty in particular is leaving some skeptical about the chances for emerging clean technologies.”
Kachan points to a slowdown in China’s economic engine as well as conflicting government policy signals as potential negative factors for the cleantech sector. “Don’t expect cleantech-friendly U.S. policy leadership in 2012, an election year.”
On the plus side, oil prices are forecast to rise in 2012, corporations are expected to take an even stronger leadership role and investment in solar innovation projects is “still strong and has remained so for years, while other clean technologies have risen and fallen in and out of investment fashion.”
Kachan called for an increase in global cleantech venture investment in 2011 when some others were predicting a cleantech collapse. “We were right. At this writing, total investment for the first three quarters of 2011 is already $6.876 billion, with the fourth quarter to report early in 2012. Given historical patterns, we expect 2011 to close out at a total of $8.8 billion in venture capital invested into cleantech globally. That’d be the highest total in three years, and second only to the highest year on record: 2008.”
“All in all, if you’re a cleantech entrepreneur seeking capital, our advice is brush up that PowerPoint and work the system now… while there’s still a system to work.”
Kachan’s predictions are available here.
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