Morley Fund Management (‘Morley’) today launches its SRI Engagement Overlay Programme, ‘Sustainable Futures’.
Morley Fund Management (‘Morley’) today launches its SRI Engagement Overlay Programme, ‘Sustainable Futures’. This programme, designed by the Morley Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) team, allows institutional investors to ‘engage’ with companies in which they have shareholdings, on social and environmental issues. The programme complements the investment strategy of institutional investors without restricting their investment universe.
Sustainable Futures allows institutions to monitor the social and environmental issues facing the companies in which they invest, and also ensures that these companies are well informed of the latest business impacts of sustainable development.
Social and environmental engagement issues include environmental strategy and management, employee practices, health and safety, corporate governance, human rights, community relations, products and services, and climate change.
Morley’s Engagement Overlay Programme will provide:
- twice yearly Sustainable Futures Reports on key engagement issues, activities and progress;
- tailored reports to address the institutional investor’s specific concerns regarding sectors or companies;
- sample company profiles providing examples of key environmental and social issues, risks and opportunities;
- briefings on specific environmental and social issues; and
- advice on training and education on sustainability issues.
The SRI Engagement Overlay Programme meets, and in some cases pre-empts, regulation and initiatives such as the 2001 UK Company Law Review which advocates greater accountability for environmental and social impacts and the 1995 Pensions Act (amended July 2000) which requires pension funds to disclose their policy on social and environmental issues . The Programme enhances risk management and corporate governance of investment strategies.
Morley aims to work with companies to identify solutions and provide advice on best practice around key social and environmental issues. Morley’s SRI Advisory Committee, which includes leading social and environmental experts such as Sir Geoffrey Chandler, Lord Thomas of Macclesfield, Deborah Leipziger and Jonathan Porritt, will advise on the engagement strategy.
Paul Moody, Head of Business Development – SRI at Morley Fund Management, comments: “The Morley Sustainable Futures Programme enables institutional investors to access the skill set of the Morley SRI team and Corporate Governance Professionals. Institutional investors will strengthen their corporate reputation by not only meeting members, shareholders and societal expectations of corporate responsibility, but also by using their shareholder power to improve corporate environmental and social performance.
“Investment criteria are constantly changing and there is a growing awareness around corporate responsibility. There is now a general recognition that issues such as child labour can damage a company’s reputation, and that environmental issues can impact on financial performance of companies. Recent corporate scandals have highlighted the need for strong governance and the need for investors to be far- sighted. Sustainable Futures enables institutional investors to communicate with companies on social and environmental issues where they have shareholdings.”
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For further information please contact:
Morley Fund Management
Laura Cook, PR Executive
020 7809 8125
Noel Smyth, Business Development Manager – SRI
020 7809 8197
Gavin Anderson & Company
Yolande Stratford
020 7554 1428
Liz Morley
020 7554 1479
The Morley Sustainable Futures SRI Engagement Overlay Programme Brochure is available at www.morleyfm.com/sri.htm
Notes to Editors
Morley’s SRI Team
- Led by Clare Brook, the socially responsible investment team is one of the largest, most experienced in the UK.
Clare and her colleagues have been working together for nearly a decade. In this time, they have grown in reputation and status. Team members are frequently asked for advice by companies, Non- Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and government departments. The team was involved with policy making for the new legislation that requires pension fund trustees to disclose their stance on social and environmental issues.
The team has a global perspective and a global reputation, having worked with investment consultants from around the world. Its research efforts focus on the world-wide activities of the companies in which it invests. Members are regularly asked to speak at overseas conferences on SRI issues.
Morley Fund Management
- Morley Fund Management (‘Morley’) is an independently managed, London based, asset management business with over Ł104 billion under management (as at 30.06.02). It actively manages a diverse range of asset classes and has investment management operations in London, Tokyo and Singapore and an associate office in Boston*.
- Morley is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Aviva Group and manages both institutional and retail funds under the Morley brand. It also acts as investment manager for a range of retail investment funds, marketed in the UK by Norwich Union, and international funds marketed under the Privilege Portfolio brand.
Awards
Fund Manager of the Year - Pensions Week Awards 2002
Specialist Manager of the Year - UK Pensions Awards 2002
Insurance Fund Manager of the Year (awarded to Norwich Union) - Standard and Poor’s 2002
Sustainable and Ethical Investment and Asset Management Award - Liveable City Awards 2002
*Norwich Union Investment Management, an Aviva Group company
Further information about Morley Fund Management can be found at www.morleyfm.com
Issued by Morley Fund Management Limited and Morley Investment Services Limited.
Morley Fund Management is a business name of Morley Fund Management Limited, registered in England No. 1151805 and Morley Investment Services Limited, registered in England No. 1973412. Both are members of the Norwich Union Marketing Group, members of which are regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority for life assurance, pensions and investments. Morley Investment Services Limited is a member of the Investment Management Association. Registered Offices: No 1 Poultry, London EC2R 8EJ. Both are Aviva companies.
For institutional correspondence please contact us at Morley Fund Management, No. 1 Poultry, London EC2R 8EJ, for retail correspondence please contact us at Morley Fund Management, PO Box 6056, Basildon SS15 5UU.