Russell Investments signs United Nations' Principles for Responsible Investment
Announces new global sustainability council
SYDNEY, Sept. 3, 2009 – Russell Investments has signed the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), reinforcing the company’s commitment to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) concerns. The Principles are a voluntary set of global best practices that aim to provide a framework for integrating ESG issues into financial analysis, investment decision-making and ownership practices.
“Russell became a UN PRI signatory in recognition of the increasingly widespread client demand for strategic advice and solutions that take into account ESG considerations,” said president and CEO Andrew Doman. “These are issues that impact not only our clients’ investment portfolios and long-term financial security, but also the business and personal communities in which our clients live and work around the world.”
The Principles provide aspirational guidelines to help investment institutions incorporate ESG issues into investment processes in a manner consistent with their fiduciary obligations and engage with other companies to promote the Principles and encourage ESG integration. The UN PRI also provides signatories with collaborative resources to identify and share best practices, as well as the ability to benchmark progress through an annual survey and reporting process.
New Sustainability Council
As part of its commitments in becoming a signatory to the Principles, Russell has formed the Russell Sustainability Council. Under the direction of the Russell Sustainability Council, the company plans to incorporate ESG considerations into manager research and product development while promoting the UN PRI and other socially responsible initiatives within the investment industry.
“Russell is honoured to join the group of forward-thinking companies working to make ESG issues an integral concern in the investment and corporate sectors,” said Alan Schoenheimer, Chairman Asia-Pacific and executive sponsor of the Russell Sustainability Council. “Becoming a UN PRI signatory is an important step in Russell’s efforts to actively align our business with practices that can contribute both to financial security for our clients and stability and prosperity for our global community.”
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