Responsibility

Annual general meetings (AGMs) are an opportunity for responsible investors to share their priorities with companies and express their views on key elements of strategy and governance. Our Stewardship team reviews our 2024 AGM engagement and voting activity.

Our society, economies and financial systems are embedded in nature, not external to it. This paper sets out the actions we are taking to understand nature-related risks and opportunities to deliver outcomes that meet our clients’ needs, and to support nature-related global goals.

From direct investments and engagement with companies to dialogue with governments and regulators, we believe stewardship efforts can deliver better outcomes for clients.

While there are obstacles to overcome, the coming years could see new opportunities for the UK government and the private sector to work together on infrastructure projects, says Darryl Murphy.

Our in-depth Roadmap for the UK’s journey towards a low-carbon economy contains policy recommendations to unlock private investment in the transition.

Do energy-efficient buildings have more pricing power, and what could that mean for those investing in the built environment? We bring together the views of leading capital markets researchers, a valuer and an asset manager for the second part of our deep dive into green premia, analysing the investment implications.

In this article, Luke Layfield and Zoe Austin explain four key pillars that can help real asset investors align their strategies with the climate transition and uncover opportunities to deliver attractive returns.

Do greener buildings have more pricing power, and if so, how much? We bring together the views of leading capital markets researchers, a valuer and an asset manager for a two-part deep dive on the latest market dynamics.

National transition plans can give investors support, confidence and direction to accelerate the flow of finance to bring about a low-carbon economy. As such, they should be seen as a strategic opportunity.

Sustainable investing, and the supposed trade-offs involved, have been a topic of heated debate. But trade-offs are a fundamental part of all types of investment; the key is to be clear about your objectives, as Mirza Baig explains.

Green bond funds and Paris-aligned benchmarks are aimed at climate-focused credit investors who also want the simplicity of passive investing. But while they decarbonise portfolios, they exclude the companies in the real economy that need to transition if the world is to meet the Paris Agreement goals. This is why an active approach can be beneficial.

By investing in climate-aligned real assets, defined-contribution pension schemes can help propel the transition while also benefiting from portfolio diversification and attractive risk-adjusted returns, says Mark Meiklejon.

Pest control has become a growing priority for city residents and authorities all year round, as rising temperatures and other factors boost the populations of many pest species. But in creating adaptation solutions, the sector could also represent a long-term investment opportunity.

For the first time in three years, interest rates should no longer be a headwind for credit markets in 2024, but other forms of uncertainty may affect climate-aware bond investors. Our credit experts discuss the key themes they expect to play out over the coming months.

Successful real asset investing requires acceptance of asset managers’ practices and procedures from a variety of stakeholders. We explore what this means for managers, their clients and investment outcomes.

Infrastructure demonstrated characteristic resilience in 2023 in the face of significant macroeconomic headwinds. Darryl Murphy from our infrastructure team explains why he expects current themes to persist in 2024.