Fintech PR
Manulife Investment Management Publishes Inaugural TNFD Aligned Nature-related Disclosure for Timberland and Agriculture
Milestone report shares the firm’s commitments to a nature-positive future
TORONTO, Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Manulife Investment Management (Manulife IM) announced it has published its inaugural timberland and agriculture nature disclosure, aligned with the recommendations of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). As an early supporter of TNFD, Manulife IM will be an early adopter with its publication of its TNFD-aligned disclosure. As the world’s largest manager of natural capital, Manulife IM prioritized issuing this report, which outlines its responsible approach to the stewardship of timberland and agricultural assets.1 Manulife IM oversees approximately 5.5 million acres of timberland across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, and Chile and manages approximately 400,000 acres of prime farmland in major agricultural regions of the United States and in Canada, Chile, and Australia. These assets total more than $15 billion as of June 30, 2023, as part of Manulife IM’s comprehensive private markets strategies.
“Although the TNFD is a recent initiative, we have maintained a longstanding commitment to the responsible stewardship of timberland and farmland for over 30 years,” said Brian Kernohan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Private Markets, Manulife Investment Management. “Our first TNFD-aligned nature disclosure marks an important milestone, and it further attests our ongoing pursuit of excellence in responsible operations and transparent reporting as well as our commitment to nature and our support for the TNFD framework.”
The TNFD aims to bring changes to the culture and actions of companies and financial institutions through risk management and mainstream corporate reporting as it relates to nature-related assessment and disclosure. The TNFD recommends 14 disclosures covering governance, strategy, risk and impact management, and metrics and targets, to promote the provision of clear, comparable, and consistent information by companies to investors and other providers of capital. Manulife IM has supported the development of the TNFD since its early stages, championing the release of the TNFD’s final recommendations and reporting framework in September 2023.
“Nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities are thoroughly considered throughout our business, from the initial stages of investment due diligence to the operational management. We believe it’s our responsibility to keep natural capital assets healthy and productive over the long term,” said Thomas Sarno, Global Head of Timberland Investments, Manulife Investment Management. “We strive to proactively assess and manage nature-related risks and opportunities to help our clients achieve their objectives and build resilient portfolios.”
“Nature plays a vital role in the future success of our businesses, the economy, and society,” added Oliver S. Williams IV, Global Head of Agriculture Investments, Manulife Investment Management. “Alignment with the TNFD general requirements and disclosures, with the data and information currently available, is a significant step in our journey to achieving key priorities of our sustainability program supporting climate change mitigation and positive biodiversity and nature-related outcomes.”
Highlights from the report include:
- Materiality in the investment process
- Across both timberland and agriculture, Manulife’s IM’s stewardship approach focuses on climate, nature, and people throughout the cycle of an investment.
- Since 2021, the firm has used a proprietary process—its sustainability tool kit—that was co-developed in house by its sustainability, acquisitions, and operations teams to identify, assess, and score environmental, social, and governance components of every transaction.
- Together with its deforestation policy, carbon principles, and carbon tool kit (used specifically for forest carbon project evaluation) this approach is designed to systematically consider all identified material sustainability considerations.
- Materiality in operations
- Manulife IM believes independent third-party sustainability certification is a comprehensive mechanism for credibly demonstrating sustainable asset management and, critically, that it provides independent assurance to stakeholders.
- As of December 31, 2022, 100% of Manulife IM’s managed forests were certified under either the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) or Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC).2 In agriculture, 100% of its U.S. farmland investments were certified in June 2022 to the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard by a third party,3 and other agriculture investments have participated in Leading Harvest pilot programs in Australia and Canada. Some assets have been certified to additional agriculture standards on a case-by-case basis. Overall, 223 of the 245 properties (91%, or approximately 80% of agriculture assets under management) in the global agriculture investment portfolio carried one or more third-party certifications.
- Consideration of time horizons
- Long-term thinking is fundamental to timberland and agriculture investment management and Manulife IM’s experience operating timberland and farmland assets over the past 30 years has shaped and refined its ability to manage sustainably over extended time horizons.
- Manulife IM’s financial models and asset management plans are forecast over 50 years for timberland, while for agriculture the forecast is typically 10 to 30 years ahead, depending on the type of asset.
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1 IPE research, as of February 5, 2023. Ranking is based on total natural capital assets under management (AUM), which includes forestry/timberland and agriculture/farmland AUM. Firms were asked to provide AUM and the as of dates vary from December 31, 2021, to December 31, 2022. |
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2 As of December 31, 2022, 100% of our forests were certified under either SFI (3.2 million acres in the United States and Canada) or FSC (2.2 million acres in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and Chile). |
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3 Certification as of June 2022, by Leading Harvest and is based on an annual assessment of the conformation to the Farmland Management Standard. Manulife Investment Management’s timberland and agriculture team (then operating as Hancock Natural Resource Group) is a founding member of Leading Harvest. In addition, Oliver Williams, global head of agriculture, is current chair of the Board of Directors for Leading Harvest. For more information on Leading Harvest, please see leadingharvest.org/about. |
About Manulife Investment Management
Manulife Investment Management is the brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. Our mission is to make decisions easier and lives better by empowering investors for a better tomorrow. Serving more than 17 million individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members, we believe our global reach, complementary businesses, and the strength of our parent company position us to help investors capitalize on today’s emerging global trends. We provide our clients access to public and private investment solutions across equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternative, and sustainability-linked strategies, such as natural capital, to help them make more informed financial decisions and achieve their investment objectives. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.
Media Contact: Elizabeth Bartlett, Elizabeth_Bartlett@Manulife.com
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/manulife-investment-management-publishes-inaugural-tnfd-aligned-nature-related-disclosure-for-timberland-and-agriculture-302038456.html
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, set out to make the community’s TOKEN2049 journey more rewarding. Gearing up for the most anticipated blockchain and Web3 event in the region, Bybit is thrilled to announce three bonus events to enable both attendees and remote fans to both be part of the experience.
The winning opportunities are open to both attendees of TOKEN2049 and followers from afar. Through trading and offline events, participants stand to get free tickets, a share of the $80,000 prize pool in airdrops and coupons, and Bybit merchandise.
Event 1: TOKEN2049 Treasure Express
From now to Sep. 26, 2024, Bybit users may register for the event and complete tasks by depositing and trading assets to earn lucky draw tickets. The wheel of fortune will turn to one of the three prizes:
1. A pair of tickets to TOKEN2049;
2. A share of the airdrop prize pool valued at $50,000 featuring the hottest tokens, including DOGS, PEPE, SOL, XRP, TON and USDT; or
3. Up to 50 USDT in spot coupons.
Even more rewards await in referrals and social media giveaways. For details, visit: TOKEN2049 Treasure Express
Event 2: Share and Unlock
From now to Sep. 30, 2024, unleash your social media magic for a chance to win a 10 USDT spot trading coupon. Share a Bybit blog link and your thoughts on Bybit and Web3. Remember to tag @Bybit_Official and use the hashtag #UnlockWeb3Future and submit the form with us here: #UnlockWeb3Future at TOKEN2049 with Bybit
Event 3: Meet us offline at TOKEN2049
Spot our logo at TOKEN2049 and capture a photo at the Bybit booth (M50) to win Bybit merchandise. Remember to share to your social media channels and use the right hashtag. For details, visit: #UnlockWeb3Future at TOKEN2049 with Bybit
An advocate for a sustainable Web3 ecosystem, Bybit will be featured prominently at TOKEN2049 on a series of keynote panels, thought leadership and community events, and booth M50.
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 40 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press.
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
For more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/board-the-token2049-treasure-express-with-bybit-and-dive-into-an-80-000-prize-pool-302240594.html
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is excited to announce it’s among the first to be granted consent to a full authorization by the Astana Financial Service Authority (AFSA). This milestone brings Bybit closer to becoming a fully regulated Digital Asset Trading Facility (DATF).
As part of a rigorous process, Bybit Kazakhstan has passed a full AML check, business conduct audit, and detailed compliance inspections. This is part of Bybit’s focus on securing new user opportunities in Kazakhstan and the broader Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.
“Kazakhstan has become a key player in the global crypto ecosystem, and we are thrilled to be expanding our services in such a dynamic market,” said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit. “We are committed to bringing our cutting-edge technology, security, and transparency to crypto traders in Kazakhstan, ensuring they can access the best possible tools and services to thrive in this fast-growing industry.”
Once the full license is in place, Bybit Kazakhstan will offer various digital assets related products and services. The expansion into Kazakhstan aligns with Bybit’s mission to provide reliable and transparent services, catering to the unique needs of crypto traders and investors in the region.
This development follows Bybit’s receipt of its initial operating and custody licenses from AFSA in June 2023, reinforcing its commitment to local regulatory requirements. Bybit’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its presence in Kazakhstan underscore its belief in responsible growth and ensuring a compliant and secure trading environment.
Kazakhstan has quickly emerged as a hub for crypto innovation, and Bybit is proud to play a leading role in fostering this development. For example, Bybit hosted a “Foundations of Blockchain, Web3 and Crypto Exchange Activities” course for Banks of Kazakhstan in 2024. This event was part of Bybit’s drive to make blockchain education more accessible in the CIS region.
By securing this full authorization, Bybit is poised to enhance crypto adoption, provide institutional-grade security, and offer advanced trading features to its growing regional user base.
#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk
About Bybit
Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 40 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.
For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press.
For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
For more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media
Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube
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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bybit-expands-global-reach-receives-formal-consent-for-full-authorization-in-kazakhstan-302240634.html
Fintech PR
Integrum ESG and CSRHub enable fund managers to monitor both long-term trends and short-term movements in ESG ratings for companies, across a 10-year time series
LONDON, Sept. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Integrum ESG, the leading alternative ESG data provider, has today announced the launch of their Consensus ESG Ratings module.
Just as investors monitor movements in consensus earnings estimates or credit ratings, investors now are aware of the demand for the ability to monitor long-term trends and short-term movements in consensus ESG ratings.
This new feature enables Integrum ESG’s asset manager clients to now see the consensus ESG score for any company, either as an absolute rating or a relative percentile ranking, across a 10-year time series.
These scores will indicate to any investor what the capital markets have ‘priced in’ for a company’s ESG performance, allowing users to quickly understand the market’s view on a company and easily conduct relative ESG analysis on the positions they hold within their Portfolio.
This regularly updated data is provided by CSRHub, the world’s leading provider of consensus ESG ratings. CSRHub has spent years aggregating and normalising a vast range of licensed sources – from large ESG ratings firms such as MSCI, ISS, S&P Global, and Sustainalytics to specialists such as CDP and Better World Companies.
Shai Hill, Founder and CEO of Integrum ESG, commented: “Many investors have told us they want a sense of ‘what is priced in’ in terms of a company’s ESG performance, so they can compare this to what anyone ESG ratings firm is saying. CSRHub is the only firm to have credibly achieved this, thanks to a model refined over years and a vast data lake – so we are delighted to be partnering with them.”
Bahar Gidwani, Co-Founder of CSRHub, added: “Investors need to fine tune their ESG-related investment strategies to improve their returns and better match the preferences of their clients. Combining CSRHub’s expert outside-in, consensus view of ESG with Integrum ESG’s detailed real-time data stream provides a strong solution for these needs.”
About Integrum ESG
Integrum ESG is the leading alternative ESG data and ratings platform for investors, blending human analysis and award-winning artificial intelligence models to capture, verify and display granular and relevant ESG data for analysis and assessment. Their Platform allows clients to dissect ESG scores, real-time sentiment, and more with a variety of unique-to-market features, empowering industry professionals and investors and giving them complete oversight of ESG risk across their portfolio.
For more information, visit www.integrumesg.com
About CSRHub
CSRHub offers the most comprehensive global set of Consensus ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) ratings, information, and tools. CSRHub’s business intelligence system measures the ESG business impact that drives corporate and investor sustainability decisions. Founded in 2007, CSRHub covers 56,545 public and private companies, and provides ESG performance scores on over 37,899 companies from 135 industries in 210 countries. Our Big Data platform uses algorithms to aggregate, normalize and weight ESG metrics from 957 sources to produce a strong consensus signal on corporate sustainability performance.
For more information, visit www.csrhub.com
Media Contact
Harish Karunalingam
Integrum ESG
[email protected]
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