ICMIF Supporting Member Aviva Investors has been awarded ‘A+’ and ‘A’ ratings by the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the world’s leading proponent of responsible investing, as part of the organisation’s 2020 Assessment Reports for signatories.
Maintaining its previous year’s leading scores in its response to the 2020 Annual United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing (UNPRI) report, Aviva Investors scored A+ for ‘Strategy and Governance’, ‘Listed Equity Active Ownership’ and ‘Incorporation and Infrastructure’, whilst achieving an A rating across all other modules. The business rated comfortably higher than the peer median in all categories and has scored in the top band every year for its ‘ESG Strategy and Governance’ practices since the PRI started assessment in 2014.
As part of the assessment process, signatories complete an annual survey on responsible investment activities across a defined set of asset-specific modules. Once the responses are assessed, a performance band (from A+ down to E) is assigned by aggregating all indicator scores.
Steve Waygood (pictured), Chief Responsible Investment Officer at Aviva Investors, said:
“Integrating ESG factors into every investment decision is non-negotiable if we are to create long-term value for our clients. Whilst we’re pleased that our work in doing so has been viewed positively, there is always the opportunity to learn and improve. This is particularly true as our industry assesses the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and how this impacts the approach we take to creating a more sustainable future. We accept that challenge and look forward to finding ways to continue improving our standards of practice and reporting.”
Aviva Investors was a founding signatory of the UNPRI in 2006. It is now the largest global reporting project, representing over 3000 global investors committed to integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into investment decisions and ownership practices.
To read more about the PRI’s assessment methodology, please click here.
