Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.98
Liaison Briar Schoon
Submission Date March 5, 2021

STARS v2.2

Portland Community College
PA-9: Committee on Investor Responsibility

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.00 / 2.00 Stephania Fregosi
Sustainability Analyst
Academic Affairs
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a formally established and active committee on investor responsibility (CIR) or equivalent body?:
No

The charter or mission statement of the CIR or other body which reflects social and environmental concerns or a brief description of how the CIR is tasked to address social and environmental concerns:
The Investment officer or Bursar, AVP of Finance and Treasury Analyst review investor responsibility. The Investment policy is approved by VP of Admin services and the Board of Directors. There is no formal committee.

Per the College's Divestment Clause: "PCC is committed to operational practices that model the sustainable use of resources. Holding securities issued by fossil fuel companies is inconsistent with the college’s sustainability goals. Therefore, the Treasury Manager will not invest in securities of fossil fuel companies (as listed in the Carbon Underground 200 or comparable fossil fuel indices). Indices shall be reviewed prior to any energy sector investment. Indices shall also be reviewed for changes not less than annually. The college is committed to advancing the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In support of this commitment and the inherent belief in the dignity and worth of each individual, the Treasury Manager shall invest in a socially responsible manner when feasible. The Board understands that socially responsible investments are not always self-evident and it is not possible to be informed of every activity that a business undertakes."

The above paragraph on fossil fuels is from PCC Investment guidelines. The College does not invest in tobacco related companies to the best of its knowledge.

The Board of Directors and the District Student Council has the opportunity to review the investments and provide feedback on an annual basis, during which they share any concerns regarding the social responsibility of investments.

Does the CIR include academic staff representation?:
No

Does the CIR include non-academic staff representation?:
No

Does the CIR include student representation?:
No

Members of the CIR, including affiliations and role:
Bursar, AVP of Finance and Treasury Analyst review and prepare Investment guidelines. They are approved by VP of Admin Services and the Board. The District Student Council and other staff could be involved when relevant. There is no formal CIR.

None
Examples of CIR actions during the previous three years:
Updated Investment guidelines to reflect PCC’s policy on socially responsible investing. Verified that PCC is not investing in fossil fuel companies as listed in the Carbon Underground 200 index and also not investing in tobacco companies. Made a commitment to receive approval from authorized personnel if investing in energy related companies.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s committee on investor responsibility is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Per the College's 2017 Divestment Clause: "PCC is committed to operational practices that model the sustainable use of resources. Holding securities issued by fossil fuel companies is inconsistent with the college’s sustainability goals. Therefore, the Treasury Manager will not invest in securities of fossil fuel companies (as listed in the Carbon Underground 200 or comparable fossil fuel indices). Indices shall be reviewed prior to any energy sector investment. Indices shall also be reviewed for changes not less than annually. The college is committed to advancing the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. In support of this commitment and the inherent belief in the dignity and worth of each individual, the Treasury Manager shall invest in a socially responsible manner when feasible. The Board understands that socially responsible investments are not always self-evident and it is not possible to be informed of every activity that a business undertakes."

The Board of Directors and the District Student Council has the opportunity to review the investments and provide feedback on an annual basis, during which they share any concerns regarding the social responsibility of investments.

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