The International Securities Lending Association (ISLA), a leading industry trade association representing the common interests of securities lending and financing market participants across EMEA, is delighted to announce that the recently formed collaborative global working group, will be now formally known as the Global Alliance of Securities Lending Associations (GASLA).
The global group, which announced its formation in September 2021, is a collaboration of leading global securities lending industry associations. GASLA is comprised of five founding member associations: Canadian Securities Lending Association (CASLA), International Securities Lending Association (ISLA), Pan Asia Securities Lending Association (PASLA), Risk Management Association (RMA) and, South African Securities Lending Association (SASLA).
GASLA provides a single voice across global securities lending markets, advocating for transparent and standardised practices that include the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and the important digital evolution that supports efficient, liquid, and sustainable capital markets.
As a collective global voice for the securities lending industry, GASLA seeks to enable positive and impactful engagement with stakeholders, including regulators, policymakers, and standard-setting bodies in all regions. GASLA was formed with inclusivity as a core principle and welcomes securities lending and financial markets associations globally.
GASLA is pleased to announce its first publication, the GASLA Best Practice Voting Guide. The aim of the document is to assist lenders seeking to align their securities lending programmes with broader ESG objectives. GASLA have been working with a broad range of securities lending market participants to drive best practice, to support integration of corporate governance policies around voting, stewardship, and active ownership. GASLA advocates that a lenders ability to fulfil their stewardship responsibilities over their underlying investments, should not be impeded by their participation in securities lending.
Read the full press release here.