CalPERS

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System has announced plans to ask 58 of the top US firms in its global equity portfolio to adopt the majority vote standard in uncontested elections for corporate directors.

GLOBAL - A group of 14 global pension schemes and institutional investors have launched a study to look at the potential impact of climate change scenarios on strategic asset allocation.

A group of 17 global pension schemes, institutional investors and other organisations have launched a study to look at the potential impact of climate change scenarios on strategic asset allocation.

US - Janine Guillot, a former managing director at Barclays Global Investors, has joined the California Public Employees' Retirement System as chief operating investment officer, the pension fund said.

US - The investment committee of the California Public Employees' Retirement System will discuss the merits of using a leveraged allocation to fixed income as part of its portfolio strategy.

US - California attorney general Edmund Brown has put pressure on the two largest California pension funds to "honour the state law" to divest from companies doing business in Iran.

GLOBAL - The relationship between pension funds and their consultants is changing with scheme managers often asking their advisers to be more proactive with their investment advice, industry experts said.

US - Major US pension funds have invested in the second infrastructure fund raised by Alinda Capital Partners, which recently closed at US$4bn.

GLOBAL - Dutch pension provider ABP and US pension fund California Public Employees' Retirement System posted 2009 results of 20.2% and 11.8% respectively.

US - The California Public Employees' Retirement System, the largest U.S. public pension, said private investment firms paid at least $125m to placement agents for help winning contracts to manage the fund's money.