| Organisational Overview | ||||||
| Organisational Overview This section captures information that helps determine if some of the subsequent questions are required and also plays a role in benchmarking. Please make sure you provide accurate answers. This is also one of the more challenging sections as it may require gathering information from multiple sources. We suggest you collect all this information before progressing to other parts of the questionnaire. | ||||||
| 1. What were your organisation's total assets under management as of the most recent count (in millions)? (Estimating to the nearest hundred million as of December 31 2008 would be preferable - although the most recent available count would be sufficient. If your currency is not listed, please select 'other' and indicate your currency or convert to United States dollars.) | 50.052 | |||||
| Please select currency | South African rand (ZAR) | |||||
| 1a. If 'Other' was selected, please specify the other currency here | No Answer | |||||
2. Please pick the one category and level of complexity that best describes your organisation (if your organisation is a pension fund, please also select your pension type). This information may be used to provide you with the best possible benchmarking. Complexity
| ||||||
| Mainstream investment manager | Moderately complex | |||||
| 2a. If 'Other' was selected, please specify the other category here | No answer | |||||
| 3. Please provide an approximation of your average asset mix for 2008 or your asset mix as of the most recent count (in percent):(+/- 5% is sufficient. The sum of all the fields must be 100%) | ||||||
Active | Passive | Active | Passive | |||
| Listed equity (developed markets) | 0 | 0 | 4.93 | 0 | ||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | 0 | 0 | 44.63 | 0 | ||
| Fixed income (not including corporate issuers) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | 0 | 0 | 27.8 | 0 | ||
| Private equity | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Listed real estate or property | 0 | 0 | 2.42 | 0 | ||
| Non-listed real estate or property | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Hedge funds | 0 | 0 | 0.35 | 0 | ||
| Commodities | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Infrastructure | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Cash | 0 | 0 | 16.49 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | 3.38 | 0 | ||
| Governance, Policy and Strategy | ||||||
| Governance, Policy and StrategyQuestions 5 through 15 are about the governance and oversight of your organisation's responsible investment activities and the associated policies and strategy. This section will be scored separately from the six Principles."Policy" in this section may refer to one overall RI policy or multiple policies that address various elements of RI. | ||||||
| 5. Do you have a policy that makes specific reference to responsible investment (RI) or environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues? | Yes | |||||
| 6. If you have a policy that makes specific reference to RI/ESG issues, which of the following Principles does it address?(Please check all that apply.) | Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.,Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.,Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.,Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.,Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles. | |||||
| 7. If you have a policy that makes specific reference to RI/ESG issues, which of the following asset classes does it apply to?(Please check all that apply.) | Listed equity (developed markets),Listed equity (emerging markets),Cash (not included in scoring) | |||||
| 8. If you have a policy that makes specific reference to RI/ESG issues, when was your policy last reviewed? | Within the last 3 years | |||||
| 9. If you have a policy that makes specific reference to RI/ESG issues, has it been disclosed publicly?(If answering yes, please indicate how this statement can be obtained - a URL would be sufficient. If answering no, please explain why not.) | Yes: 'Currently available directly from Advantage. Our committment is available on the web at http://www.advantage.am/processandphilosophy.aspx' | |||||
10. To what extent has your approach to responsible investment been translated into a plan of action as reflected in business planning, strategic planning, or similar internal management processes?
| To a small extent | |||||
| 11. Who within your organisation has responsibilities related to RI implementation?(Please check all that apply.) | Chief Executive Officer or Chief Investment Officer or equivalent | |||||
| 12. Do you have a policy or approach/process that requires screening out or excluding stocks or sectors from your investment universe? | Both stocks and sectors | |||||
| 13. What are your reasons for screening out or excluding stocks or sectors from your investment universe?(Please check all that apply.) | We screen for clients when requested | |||||
| 14. Please describe how your organisation assesses if there is a link between your RI activities and the performance (risk and return) of your investments: | It is something that we are definitely interested in monitoring but other than at performance attribution level on our SRI portfolios this is difficult for us to measure | |||||
| 15. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Governance, Policy, and Strategy here. | No Answer | |||||
| Principle 1 | ||||||
Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.For the purposes of this questionnaire, integration is the consideration of ESG issues alongside traditional financial measures, based on the belief that ESG issues can affect the performance (risk and/or return) of investment portfolios (to varying degrees across companies, sectors, regions, asset classes and through time). Please note that the view that ESG issues can influence investment returns may be based either on
| ||||||
| 16. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle.This question and similar questions relating to each of the other Principles are being asked for three reasons. The first reason is to gather details regarding signatory implementation for inclusion in the PRI annual report on progress. The second reason is to capture activities not captured directly by questions in the Reporting and Assessment Tool. The third reason is to provide context and details to support verification calls. | When performing manager assessments, we aim to include ESG factors were relevant. We also identify whether the manager is a signatory to the UNPRI. Furthermore in conducting portfolio assessments for our clients, we aim to incorporate ESG in assessing the portfolio where relevant. We also have an SRI product and in this aim to incorporate social issues, and governance issues, and environmental (where appropriate although to a much lesser extent). | |||||
| Integration of ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes of internally managed assets | ||||||
| 17. For what percentage of your internal assets under active management do you integrate RI/ESG issues into your internal investment decision-making processes (in percent)?(+/- 5% is sufficient.) | ||||||
| Listed equity (developed markets) | ||||||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | ||||||
| Fixed income (not including corporate issuers) | ||||||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | ||||||
| Private equity | ||||||
| Listed real estate or property | ||||||
| Non-listed real estate or property | ||||||
| Hedge funds | ||||||
| Infrastructure | ||||||
18. To what extent have you integrated RI/ESG issues into your internal active investment decision-making processes?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q17.)
| ||||||
| Listed equity (developed markets) | No Answer | |||||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | No Answer | |||||
| Fixed income (not including corporate issuers) | No Answer | |||||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | No Answer | |||||
| Private equity | No Answer | |||||
| Listed real estate or property | No Answer | |||||
| Non-listed real estate or property | No Answer | |||||
| Hedge funds | No Answer | |||||
| Infrastructure | No Answer | |||||
19. When forming investment views, to what extent does your organisation gather and analyse ESG information, including, where applicable, information obtained from engagement activities?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q17.)
| No Answer | |||||
20. To what extent do portfolio managers or others making investment decisions in your organisation apply the ESG information and analysis available to them when constructing and managing portfolios?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q17.)
| No Answer | |||||
21. To what extent do you have a process for improving the effectiveness of research and portfolio management processes with regards to ESG factors?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q17.)
| No Answer | |||||
22. To what extent do you have a process for assessing and improving internal investment staff competency to incorporate RI/ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q17.)
| No Answer | |||||
| Integration of ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes of externally managed assets | ||||||
| 23. For what percentage of your external assets under management are RI/ESG issues integrated into the investment decision-making processes of your external investment managers (in percent, +/- 5% is sufficient)? | ||||||
| Listed equity (developed markets) | 10 | |||||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | 10 | |||||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | 10 | |||||
| Listed real estate or property | 5 | |||||
| Hedge funds | 5 | |||||
24. To what extent have RI/ESG issues been integrated into the investment decision-making processes of your external investment managers?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q23.)
| ||||||
| Listed equity (developed markets) | To a small extent | |||||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | To a small extent | |||||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | To a small extent | |||||
| Listed real estate or property | To a small extent | |||||
| Hedge funds | Planning to in 2009 | |||||
25. To what extent do you consider the capabilities of external investment managers to incorporate RI/ESG issues when searching for, selecting and retaining your external investment managers?(Applies only to investments that include integration of RI/ESG issues as indicated in Q23.)
| To a small extent | |||||
| Integration - final comments | ||||||
| 26. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 1 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 1 that have not been captured by the questions above. | As a multi-manager (we select managers to combine in a portfolio) it is more difficult to ensure incorporation of ESG at all levels of portfolio construction and product management and product provision to the end client. Furthermore as an emerging market country there is a higher emphasis on other areas and within the ESG framework, there is a higher emphasis more on the social and governance, with significantly less regard for the environmental factors. | |||||
| Principle 2 | ||||||
| Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices. | ||||||
| 27. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle. | Aiming to get more active in the proxy voting space and incorporating ESG more into our active decisions and in portfolio construction and in fund manager selection process | |||||
| (Proxy) voting - applies only to listed equity (developed markets), listed equity (emerging markets) and listed real estate or property. | ||||||
| 28. Do you have a (proxy) voting policy?(If 'Yes - disclosed publicly', please indicate how your (proxy) voting policy can be obtained- a URL would be sufficient. If answering no, please explain why not.) | Yes - internal document | |||||
| 29. Does your (proxy) voting policy address environmental, social, and governance issues? | ||||||
| Environmental | Yes | |||||
| Social | Yes | |||||
| Governance | Yes | |||||
| 30. Who decided how to vote on ballot items on behalf of your organisation in 2008?(Please check all that apply.) | External investment manager | |||||
31. To what extent is information related to ballot items gathered and analysed before voting decisions are made?
| To a small extent | |||||
| 32. Do you ensure that voting is done in accordance with your voting instructions? | We make no effort to ensure | |||||
| 33. Do you inform companies of your rationale when you abstain or vote against management recommendations? | Yes for some | |||||
| 34. Please indicate how many resolutions you could have voted on and how many resolutions you did vote on in 2008:(include abstentions as votes where votes against are not possible, use the last available one year period if information for 2008 is not available or too difficult to gather, approximate numbers are acceptable. If you are unable to provide the exact number please provide an approximation of the percentage by entering 10 in the 'Resolutions could have voted on' column and your estimate in the 'Resolutions voted on' column. So if you voted on about 70% of the possible resolutions you would enter 7 in the 'Resolutions voted on' column. If you are not sure, please enter a 1 in all four fields.) | ||||||
| Domestic | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Foreign | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 35. For the listed equities that you manage, do you provide (proxy) voting services for your clients if they request them? | Yes - According to our own policy or client-specific policies | |||||
| 36. How does your securities lending program address voting? | We don't recall our shares for voting purposes | |||||
| 37. How many shareholder resolutions related to ESG issues did you file or co-file during 2008? | ||||||
| As lead filer | 0 | |||||
| As co-filer | 0 | |||||
| Planning to be lead filer in 2009 | 0 | |||||
| Planning to be co-filer in 2009 | 0 | |||||
| 38. Please explain why you did or did not file or co-file any shareholder resolutions related to RI/ESG issues during 2008: | Our asset managers file on our behalf | |||||
| Engagement - general | ||||||
| 39. Who engaged with companies to seek ESG improvements in 2008?Please rank who engaged with companies according to their importance within your overall active ownership activities. You can only select Most, Second, Third and Fourth most important once each. Only the method you rank as 'Most important' will be scored for benchmarking purposes. If you wish to request that your other methods of engagement also be scored, please complete all the relevant sections and email the PRI at assessment@unpri.org when you submit your response. | ||||||
| Internal staff | Third most important | |||||
| External investment manager(s) | Most important | |||||
| External engagement service provider(s) | Second most important | |||||
| No Answer | |||||
| 40. Do you have a written engagement policy or other documents that direct engagement?(If 'Yes - disclosed publicly', please indicate how your policy can be obtained- a URL would be sufficient.) | No | |||||
| 41. If you have an engagement policy or other documents that direct engagement, what do they include?(Please check all that apply.) | No Answer | |||||
| 42. How many companies are you invested in? | 160 | |||||
| Engagement - internal staff | ||||||
43. To what extent do you have a process for identifying and prioritising ESG related engagement opportunities?
| To a small extent | |||||
44. How many portfolio companies did you engage with on ESG issues in 2008?
| ||||||
| Extensive engagement | 0 | |||||
| Moderate engagement | 14 | |||||
| Basic engagement | 0 | |||||
| 45. What proportion of your engagements addressed environmental, social or governance issues (in percent)?(One engagement may address more than one issue, so the three percentages need not add to 100%. For example, if you only had one engagement and it addressed environmental and governance issues then the answer would be 100% for environmental and 100% for governance.) | ||||||
| Environmental | 100 | |||||
| Social | 100 | |||||
| Governance | 100 | |||||
46. To what extent do you set ESG engagement objectives and attempt to evaluate your engagement success?
| Not applicable | |||||
| 47. What percentage of engagements that ended in 2008 were deemed successful (in percent)?(Engagement success: a considerable part of objectives or milestones that were set when the engagement commenced were achieved.) | 50 | |||||
48. To what extent do you have a process for assessing and improving staff competency to act as active owners and incorporate ESG issues into ownership practices?
| To a small extent | |||||
| Engagement - external engagement service provider(s) | ||||||
49. How many portfolio companies did your external engagement service provider(s) engage with on ESG issues on your behalf in 2008?
| ||||||
| Extensive engagement | 0 | |||||
| Moderate engagement | 14 | |||||
| Basic engagement | 0 | |||||
| 50. What proportion of your external engagement service provider(s)'s engagements on your behalf addressed environmental, social or governance issues (in percent)?(One engagement may address more than one issue, so the three percentages need not add to 100%. For example, if you only had one engagement and it addressed environmental and governance issues then the answer would be 100% for environmental and 100% for governance.) | ||||||
| Environmental | 100 | |||||
| Social | 100 | |||||
| Governance | 100 | |||||
51. To what extent do you contribute to and assess the ESG engagement activities of your external engagement service provider(s)?
| To a small extent | |||||
| Engagement - external investment manager(s) | ||||||
52. How many portfolio companies did your external investment manager(s)'s engage with on ESG issues on your behalf in 2008?
| ||||||
| Extensive engagement | 0 | |||||
| Moderate engagement | 14 | |||||
| Basic engagement | 0 | |||||
| 53. What proportion of your external investment manager(s)'s engagements on your behalf addressed environmental, social or governance issues (in percent)? (One engagement may address more than one issue, so the three percentages need not add to 100%. For example, if you only had one engagement and it addressed environmental and governance issues then the answer would be 100% for environmental and 100% for governance.) | ||||||
| Environmental | 100 | |||||
| Social | 100 | |||||
| Governance | 100 | |||||
54. To what extent do you contribute to and assess the ESG engagement activities of your external investment manager(s)?
| To a small extent | |||||
| 55. Did you consider the capabilities of external investment managers to engage with companies on ESG issues on your behalf when searching for, selecting and retaining your investment managers? | Yes, for all of our external investment managers | |||||
| Engagement - final comments | ||||||
| 56. What ESG issues were addressed in your or your service providers' engagement initiatives? (Please check all that apply.) | Benefits and compensation,Climate change,Environment,Governance,Health and safety,HIV/AIDS,Human rights,Labour issues,Other (please specify): 'BEE' | |||||
| 57. What measures do you or your external service provider(s) use to assess the impact and success of engagement? | Following releases of company ifnormation reveals whether improvements have been made | |||||
| 58. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 2 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 2 that have not been captured by the questions above. | We have only just begun to employ the services of an external service provider so are still integrating that into our organisation | |||||
| Principle 3 | ||||||
| Principle 3: We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest. | ||||||
| 59. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle. | We have employed the services of an external provide who is conducting research for us on companies and providng us wth detailed ESG data in this regard | |||||
| 60. Who asked investee companies (or other investment entities) to provide information about their ESG policies, practices or performance in 2008?(Please check all that apply.) | External investment manager(s),External engagement service provider(s) | |||||
61. To what extent did you or your external engagement service provider(s) or your external investment manager(s) have a dialogue with investee companies (or other investment entities) regarding the production of standardized reporting about their ESG policies, practices or performance in 2008?('Standardized' could also include systematic reporting in areas where standardized reporting has not yet emerged.)
| ||||||
| Listed equity (developed market) | To a large extent | |||||
| Listed equity (emerging markets) | To a large extent | |||||
| Fixed income (corporate issuers) | To a large extent | |||||
| Listed real estate or property | To a large extent | |||||
| Hedge funds | To a small extent | |||||
| 62. What formats of reporting on ESG issue policies, practices or performance have been requested? Please check all that apply. | Standalone corporate social responsibility or sustainability reporting,Global Reporting Initiative (GRI),Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) | |||||
63. To what extent did you or your external engagement service provider(s) or your external investment manager(s) seek information from companies regarding their practices related to norms, standards, codes of conduct or international initiatives related to ESG issues in 2008?
| To a large extent | |||||
| 64. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 3 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 3 that have not been captured by the questions above. | No Answer | |||||
| Principle 4 | ||||||
| Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry. | ||||||
| 65. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle. | With a publication called Collective Insights, in which Advantage is very involved we promote the UN PRI and the different principles, together with responsible investing and other selected topics regarding ESG. Furthermore within our mandates we specicy proxy voting guidelines, and we also in our fund manager analysis ask whether managers are signatories to the UNPRI | |||||
| 66. Did you consider RI/ESG requirements when searching for and selecting service providers in 2008 when applicable? | ||||||
| Investment consultant | Yes, some of the time | |||||
| Proxy voting service provider | Yes, all of the time | |||||
| External overlay service provider | Yes, some of the time | |||||
| Investment research provider | Yes, some of the time | |||||
| 67. Have you included RI/ESG elements in the following? | ||||||
| Investment monitoring | No | |||||
| Incentive structure (internally managed) | No | |||||
| Incentive structure (externally managed) | No | |||||
| Contractual relationships with external investment managers | Yes, all of the time | |||||
| Contractual relationships with other investment related service providers | No | |||||
68. To what extent did you encourage your eligible service providers to become PRI signatories or consider RI/ESG factors in 2008?(Service providers include but are not limited to: external investment managers, investment consultants, proxy voting service providers, external engagement service providers, and investment research providers.)
| To a large extent | |||||
69. To what extent did you encourage your institutional clients to become PRI signatories or consider RI/ESG factors in 2008?
| To a small extent | |||||
70. To what extent did you encourage peer organisations to become PRI signatories or consider RI/ESG factors in 2008?
| To a moderate extent | |||||
| 71. Have you revisited any relationships with service providers in light of RI/ESG issue-related capabilities? | Not applicable | |||||
| 72. Does your broker evaluation process (which determines how you allocate commissions to brokers) include an ESG component and/or do you have a budget to pay for ESG broker research? | Not applicable | |||||
| 73A. What is your total investment research budget (including brokerage commissions intended to recognize research, in the same currency used in Q1) | 1 | |||||
| 73B. what proportion of your total investment research budget is allocated to ESG research (in percent)? | 1 | |||||
74. To what extent do you identify ESG issues and suggest them to brokers or other investment research providers for research?
| Not applicable | |||||
75. To what extent did you engage in dialogue, lobbying or initiatives pertaining to government policy and/or industry regulations (for example, stock exchanges or accounting standards) related to RI/ESG issues in 2008?
| To a small extent | |||||
| 76. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 4 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 4 that have not been captured by the questions above. | Our CIO, Anne Cabot Alletzhauser, sits on the JSE Advisory Committee | |||||
| Principle 5 | ||||||
| Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles. | ||||||
| 77. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle. | We engage with our fund managers to find ways in which they and we can intregate ESG into our processes and products and we are involved in hte production of Collective Insights, and investment publication that brings up issues such as sustainable and responsible investing and other related topics | |||||
78. To what extent did you collaborate with other investors to improve your effectiveness in implementing each of the following Principles?
| ||||||
| Principle 1 | To a small extent | |||||
| Principle 2 | To a small extent | |||||
| Principle 3 | To a small extent | |||||
| Principle 4 | To a small extent | |||||
| 79. How did you use the PRI Engagement Clearinghouse in 2008?(Please check all that apply.) | Logged in during 2008 to use the Clearinghouse as a learning tool or to keep up to date on ongoing engagements | |||||
| 80. Did you participate in any of the following RI/ESG issue-related collaborations and/or associations? For those not listed, please use the "other" field:(Please check all that apply.) | Carbon Disclosure Project,CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity,United Nations Environmental Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) | |||||
81. Please indicate the three RI/ESG issue-related collaborative engagement initiatives and/or industry associations that you participated in most extensively and indicate how you did so:
| ||||||
| Carbon Disclosure Project | To a small extent | Joined | ||||
| PRI | To a moderate extent | Leadership through Collective Insights and engagement | ||||
| CFA Institute Centre for Financial Market Integrity | To a small extent | We continue to have associations with the Institute | ||||
| 82. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 5 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 5 that have not been captured by the questions above. | Most of the initiatives are around international issues, it is difficult to make them apply to us | |||||
| Principle 6 | ||||||
| Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles. | ||||||
| 83. Please provide a one to two paragraph description of your approach to this Principle. | We report to our Board, our shareholders and our parent company on our engagement in teh ESG space adn on our adherence to and implementation of the Principles. Similarly we report to the Public on our website | |||||
84. To what extent did you disclose (privately and/or publicly) your approach to incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes in 2008?(If you disclose publicly, please indicate how this disclosure can be obtained - a URL would be sufficient. If answering not at all, please explain why not.)
| To a small extent: 'To clients and relevant clients' | |||||
| 85. How did you disclose your (proxy) voting record in 2008?(Please select all that apply. If you disclose publicly, please indicate how this disclosure can be obtained - a URL would be sufficient. If answering not at all, please explain why not.) | Planning to in 2009 | |||||
86. To what extent did you disclose (privately and/or publicly) your RI/ESG issue-related engagement activities, results and progress in 2008?(If you disclose publicly, please indicate how this disclosure can be obtained - a URL would be sufficient. If answering not at all, please explain why not.)
| Planning to in 2009: '' | |||||
| 87. Did you disclose (privately and/or publicly) RI/ESG activities, results and progress related to Principle 3, Principle 4 or Principle 5 in 2008?(If you disclose publicly, please indicate how this disclosure can be obtained - a URL would be sufficient. If answering not at all, please explain why not.) | ||||||
| Principle 3 | Yes - to clients or beneficiaries | |||||
| Principle 4 | Yes - to clients or beneficiaries | |||||
| Principle 5 | Yes - to clients or beneficiaries | |||||
| 88. How would you like to publish your responses to this PRI Reporting and Assessment tool?(Please check all that apply.) | Please automatically publish our responses to the reporting and assessment tool in full on the PRI website | |||||
| 89. Please add any overall comments and clarifications related to Principle 6 here. Please also describe any significant activities relating to Principle 6 that have not been captured by the questions above. | This has been a tough year (2008) to focus on the ESG space, this has not been as paramount a focus as we would have liked | |||||
| Closing Comments | ||||||
| 90. Please describe the benefits you have enjoyed as a result of signing the PRI: | Collaborative engagements and discussions with other signatories and other members of the investment industry | |||||
| 91. What has your organisation changed as a direct result of becoming a PRI signatory? | Hired external research specialist | |||||
| 92. Did the financial market turmoil of 2008 cause you to change your approach to the consideration of ESG factors or active ownership? If it did, please explain how. | Yes - we could not focus on it enough and could not allocate as much time to this as we would have liked | |||||
| 93. What are the top three activities the PRI Secretariat could undertake to enhance and encourage further implementation of the PRI by current and prospective signatories? | ||||||
| 1. | Make more applicable to / understandable for MultiManagers | |||||
| 2. | Make more relevant to all countries specifically the emerging market companies | |||||
| 3. | Not applicable | |||||
| 94. What are your top three PRI-related goals/priorities for 2009? | ||||||
| 1. | World's focus has shifted, ESG has become non-negotiable, we aim to enhance our focus in this area | |||||
| 2. | Aim for more discussions with fund managers and ensure we are incoporating all ESG in our scoring | |||||
| 3. | Identify more ways to use research output on companies in the ESG space and incorporate this into our service offerings | |||||
| 95. What were your most significant achievements in 2008 in relation to your implementation of Principles? | ||||||
| Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes. | Enhanced our manager assessments | |||||
| Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices. | Proxy voting | |||||
| Principle 3: We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest. | Engage with fund managers on ESG and ascertain how we could incorporate ESG into our assessments | |||||
| Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry. | Collective Insight publication and discusions with managers | |||||
| Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles. | Collaborative engagement with fund managers and Collective Insight | |||||
| Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles. | Uphold our responsibility to all the principles and report on our involvement where we can | |||||
| 96. What were your biggest barriers in 2008 with relation to your implementation of the Principles? | ||||||
| Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| Principle 3: We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles. | International focus of principles in certain regards, emerging market issues not necessarily considered, 2008 market turmoil posed a barrier, as a multimanager less direct involvement and thus more difficult to implement | |||||
| 97. Please indicate which principle you find the most difficult to implement and the principle you find the least difficult to implement: | ||||||
| Most difficult | Principle 3 | |||||
| Least difficult | Principle 5 | |||||