Topics: Investor Relations,Strategy
Topics: Investor Relations,Strategy
April 6, 2017
April 6, 2017
The rise of sustainability as a governance imperative is inextricably tied to the growing influence of large institutional investors, particularly index funds, and the governance teams within them. Generally speaking, governance-focused asset managers now control more than one-third of the average public company’s shareholder register. Recently, the world’s three largest investors bulked up the staff of their governance teams dedicated to analyzing and meeting with portfolio companies, which included hiring individuals with expertise on environmental and social topics.
The heightened focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) analysis and corresponding engagement is heavily influenced by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI promotes “active ownership” (such as engagement and proxy voting) and “ESG integration” (which is intended to improve investment decision-making by linking the analysis of ESG factors with financial performance). What began in 2006 with 200 asset owners has grown to more than 1,600 global signatories, including investment managers, with more than $60 trillion in assets.
Recently, the PRI announced that it will de-list signatories if they do not show progress in implementing the Principles. Because being a PRI signatory is commonly a requirement for asset managers to win mandates from asset owners, this move may incentivize PRI members to increase the frequency and sophistication of their engagements and add momentum to the quest for ESG data that is comparable across companies and industries.
Market participants are also seeking to understand and quantify the link between ESG and financial value. An increasing number of data providers, consultants, credit rating agencies, and nonprofits are assessing and rating companies on their performance on ESG criteria. Concurrent with that analysis is the emergence of academic and proprietary research which correlates effective ESG oversight with financial value creation, further encouraging investors to understand how companies link sustainability and business strategy.
Investors Take Action
These dynamics are already changing the market. Investor coalitions, including the Commonsense Corporate Governance Principles and Investor Stewardship Group, have been formed to issue guidance and perspectives on governance and sustainability issues. In addition, certain shareholder proposals on environmental and social issues are receiving high levels of support from a growing range of institutional asset managers. Importantly, within the past few months, both BlackRock and State Street Global Advisors have stated that if they do not perceive progress from issuers on sustainability initiatives in their engagement, they will consider voting against the nominating/governance committees of those companies.
Preparing to Engage
Given these trends, it is incumbent on issuers to take steps now to ensure that they are engaging effectively with their investors. Here are four ways to prepare:
From traditional governance factors like compensation, board composition, and independence, to environmental and social factors like energy efficiency and diversity, sustainability is now integral to every company’s business model. As the market continues to incorporate, value, and reflect the materiality of sustainability into investment strategy and engagement, companies that can effectively tell their sustainability story will be best positioned to succeed with the world’s largest investors.
Chad Spitler is head of the Sustainability Advisory Practice at CamberView Partners.