
Divestment as an ESG Tool: CalPERS and T...
Evans, Richard B.;...
Divestment as an ESG Tool: CalPERS and Tobacco Stocks (B)
Evans, Richard B.; Yemen, Gerry
F-1949 | Published June 4, 2020 | 2 pages. Case
Collection: Darden School of Business
Product Details
This case uses the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to set the stage for unfolding an analysis of economics and values in the decision to divest tobacco stocks and bonds from the internally managed portion of the CalPERS portfolio. Written from public sources, it offers a discussion about fiduciary responsibility for long-term retirement security and investment policies around environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies for the public pension fund. The material includes financial data that further allows calculations and discussion on tobacco investments outperforming the broader market. The A case opens with the CalPERS investment committee having made a decision to recommend removing tobacco investment restrictions. The CIO reflects on whether supporting investment in tobacco firms conflicts with CalPERS’s member health and health care mission. Did supporting continued divestment mean CalPERS was putting its own social priority and ideals ahead of its clients’ investment goals? The case data should lead most to conclude the fund was breaching its fiduciary duty. This short B case can be handed out in class. This deepens discussion around ESG, the investment fund’s duty, and retirees’ frustration. Despite the CalPERS investment committee’s recommendation to remove restrictions on investing in tobacco stocks, the board of administration decided to broaden limitation and extend the ban to externally managed portfolios in December 2016. Two years later, opposition to CalPERS’s divestment strategy took the form of a campaign to run for a seat on the board of administration. This was followed with the appointment of another CIO who strongly supported ESG investment strategies.
(1) Examine the nature of investment and obligations of a pension fund to its members. (2) Develop an appreciation for evaluating investment strategies. (3) Explore how public asset management firms make investment decisions. (4) Understand the tension that exists between earning better returns and support for ESG.
Products To Upsell

Global Medical Imaging, LLC
Hess, Edward D.; G...

Enchanting Travels
Hess, Edward D.; M...

Better World Books
Hess, Edward D.; G...

Valuation of "Plain-Vanilla" Interest-Ra...
Conroy, Robert M.;...

FindingFIT
Clawson, James G.

List Testing Exercise: Economic Selectio...
Pfeifer, Phillip E...

An Introduction to Case Teaching (Part 1...
Clawson, James G.

What Is Giving Voice to Values? (VIDEO)
Gentile, Mary

Giving Voice to Values: An Educators' Pr...
DARDEN, Darden

Digital Marketing Simulation: Media Attr...
Venkatesan, Rajkum...

Dr. Bronner's: Do Psychedelics Fit with ...
Freeman, R. Edward...

AMP - Strategic Innovation & Entrepreneu...
Gupta, Uday

Accounting for Owners’ Equity
Lynch, Luann J.; B...

Test Syllabus 45
Daren Business Sch...

Athlete Brands: How to Benefit from Your...
Whitler, Kimberly ...

What is Design Thinking? (VIDEO)
Liedtka, Jeanne M.

Copyright Permissions
Daren Business Sch...

Thinking Strategically About Communicati...
West, June A.

Optix Corporation
Powell, Elizabeth ...

Leaders Bank: Creating a Great Place to ...
Hess, Edward D.; G...

LG Investments, LLC: A Family Business i...
Hess, Edward D.

Finance People
Schill, Michael J.