Responsible Investment

The Investment Association (IA) has over 200 full members managing over £8.5 trillion in assets. As the trade body for the UK investment management industry, it seeks not only to represent the interests of that industry but also to improve the investment landscape for investors through initiatives which highlight certain topics – such as diversity and inclusion in the industry – and by improving standards and best practice. In addition to its membership of the Association, Guinness Global Investors participates in its Compliance Discussion Group, which provides an informal discussion to share issues, concerns, and solutions within the compliance function. The effect of our membership is to promote the good functioning of the investment market in the UK through these initiatives to the benefit of investors and the economy.

The UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF) aims to support its members to grow sustainable and responsible finance in the UK. It also seeks to influence policymaking that promotes the growth of sustainable finance. Our membership constitutes part of a collective effort to promote sustainable finance in the UK. One member of our investment team is the former chair of the UKSIF analyst committee.

The Independent Investment Management Initiative (IIMI) aims to contribute to effective financial regulation and promote client-centred models of investment management. Our membership, among that of over 40 firms, aims to promote initiatives which improve the functioning of the investment management industry. Most recently, a call with the UN PRI allowed members to discuss concerns and recommendations for their reporting system, to contribute to a more effective reporting procedure for future reporting periods.

Climate Action 100+ is a collaborative engagement programme through which Guinness Global Investors engages with Imperial Oil, a $36bn Canadian listed oil & gas producer with operations mainly in Canada. The collaborative nature creates a programme of concentrated engagement with focus companies, where the sum of the parts is significantly more effective than if each participant attempted to engage across the whole sector.

CFA UK's mission is to build a better investment profession by serving the public interest by educating investment professionals, by promoting and enforcing ethical and professional standards and by explaining what is happening in the profession to regulators, policymakers, and the media. A member of staff at Guinness is part of the Sustainability Community Champions Working Group.

CDP non-disclosure campaign Our position as a signatory to CDP highlights our support for improved corporate disclosure on material environmental and climate issues. We may contribute and participate in CDP’s work, including on improved disclosure and transparency. This supports us in identifying systemic risks under the climate change and broader remit. We participate in the CDP non-disclosure campaign, which offers investors the opportunity to engage with companies that have received the CDP disclosure request but have not yet provided a response. The objective of the annual campaign is to drive further corporate transparency around climate change, deforestation and water security, by encouraging companies to respond to CDP’s disclosure requests.