Fiduciary duty

The Fiduciary duty in the 21st century programme finds that investors' duties require them to embed environmental, social and governance factors in investment processes. To hear more about our fiduciary duty work, contact us.

Following the launch of Fiduciary duty in the 21st century in 2015, the PRI, UNEP FI and The Generation Foundation launched a three-year project to clarify investors’ obligations and duties around incorporating ESG issues into investment practice.

The project has worked with investors and governments to publish a global statement on investors’ obligations and duties, roadmaps in more than 10 countries on the policy changes required and research into investor obligations and duties in six Asian markets.

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Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century Final Report

In January 2016 the PRI and UNEP FI launched a four-year project to clarify investor obligations and duties (known in common law markets as fiduciary duties) in relation to the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in investment practice and decision making.

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Fiduciary duty in the 21st century – from a legal case to regulatory clarification around ESG

Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century, a collaboration between the PRI and UNEP FI with generous financial support from The Generation Foundation, contributes an extensive evidence base to end the debate on whether fiduciary duty is a legitimate barrier to the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in ...

Fiduciary duty in the 21st century

Fiduciary duty in the 21st century

Failing to consider long-term investment value drivers – which include environmental, social and governance issues – in investment practice is a failure of fiduciary duty.

What is fiduciary duty and why is it important?

Fiduciary duties are imposed upon a person or an organisation who exercises some discretionary power in the interests of another person in circumstances that give rise to a relationship of trust and confidence.

The changing landscape of fiduciary duty

Fiduciary duty is not the obstacle to incorporating ESG issues into investment processes that it is commonly assumed to be, although fiduciary duty is often presented as an excuse for not taking action.

Fiduciary duty in the 21st century: global recommendations

Though there are variations between countries – reflecting national priorities, the current development of responsible investment in the country in question and prevailing legal requirements – our research suggests areas in which progress is needed globally.

Global statement on investor obligations and duties

The Global statement on investor obligations and duties calls on international policymakers and national governments to clarify the obligations and duties of investors and other organisations in the investment system.