Principles for Responsible Investment: Who Reported In 2010?

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The United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is an investor initiative in partnership with UNEP Finance Initiative and the UN Global Compact that aims to incorporate issues of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) in investment portfolio decisions.  Their Report on Progress 2010 highlights greater participation of institutional investors worldwide.  See whose reporting and what it means for the future of ESG.

According to the SocialFunds.com press release, the United Nations’Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) has grown to include over 800 signatories with a total of $22 trillion in assets under management since its launch in 2006. PRI’s Report on Progress 2010 boasts a 97% response rate from those required to do so (all signatories except service providers are required to complete the PRI survey).

According to the Report on Progress 2010, at the country level, the highest number of responses came from Australia, US, UK, Netherlands and France. The most notable increase in respondents came from Spain and Denmark.  The largest block of respondents came from Europe with almost 200 investors completing the survey and 46% of respondents.  The region with the second highest number of respondents is Oceania (covering Australia and New Zealand).  With over 80 respondents, North America came in third position, but showed a rapid growth rate.

The increase in number of signatories (268 since July 2009) and the increase in respondents who agreed to publish their responses (166 signatories chose to publish their responses in 2010 as opposed to 70 in 2009) suggests that the commitment to improved reporting on ESG issues is growing.

For those who read and commented on my recent post entitled, Protect, Respect and Remedy: Businesses’ role in upholding Human Rights?, rest assured that some United Nations’ initiatives actually do produce results.  Let’s hope the trend found in PRI’s Report on Progress 2010 continues and more institutional investors incorporate issues of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) in investment portfolio decisions.

Image Credit:  United Nations Photo via Flickr under CC license.

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