Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.52
Liaison Alicia Hodenfield
Submission Date Feb. 18, 2021

STARS v2.2

Sonoma State University
PA-9: Committee on Investor Responsibility

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.00 / 2.00 Ian Hannah
Assistant Vice President for Advancement Operations
Advancement
"---" 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:
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Does the CIR include academic staff representation?:
No

Does the CIR include non-academic staff representation?:
Yes

Does the CIR include student representation?:
No

Members of the CIR, including affiliations and role:
Executive Committee
* Mr. Gordon McDougall, Chair & President
* Mr. David Felte, Vice Chair
* Mr. Ian Hannah, COO & Secretary
* Ms. Amanda Visser, CFO

Audit Committee
* Mr. Kenneth (Randy) Pennington, Chair
* Ms. Anita Christmas, Board Member
* Mr. Sam Brown, Board Member
* Mr. Herm Benedetti, Board Member

Investment Committee
* Mr. Ian Hannah (Co-Chair), COO & Secretary
* Mr. Michael Sullivan (Co-Chair), Board Member
* Ms. Amanda Visser, CFO
* Mr. Gordon McDougall, Chair & President
* Ms. Joyce Lopes, Board Member, CFO-SSU
* Mr. Thomas Gillespie, Board Member
* Mr. Brent Thomas, Board Member
* Mr. Terry Atkinson, Board Member
* Mr. Michael Troy, Committee Member

Governance Committee
* Mr. David Felte, Chair & Board Vice Chair
* Mr. Gordon McDougall, Chair & President
* Mr. Ian Hannah, COO & Secretary
* Mr. Kenneth (Randy) Pennington, Board Member
* Mr. Sam Brown, Board Member
* Mr. Terry Atkinson, Board Member

None
Examples of CIR actions during the previous three years:
The Board of Trustees of the California State University adopted a resolution urging auxiliary boards that make corporate investments to issue statements of social responsibility and to follow those precepts in examining past and considering future investments. In response, the Sonoma State University Foundation states a primary fiduciary responsibility to maximize investment return while taking into consideration appropriate risk, to further its educational purposes. At the same time, the Sonoma State University Foundation (SSUF) endeavors to be a good corporate citizen and responsible investor by considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices of the corporations in which it is invested.

As an overarching goal, SSUF seeks to invest in well-managed corporations providing beneficial goods and services that align with the University’s mission, vision, core values, and strategic priorities. It further values business practices that support safe and supportive work environments, builds employment opportunities, demonstrates innovation in environmental protection, and benefit the disadvantaged - including charitable giving and inclusion efforts. Consistent with SSU’s Strategic Plan 2025, SSUF encourages its investment managers to incorporate ESG analysis in the review of investment risk and opportunities.

Recognizing that SSUF generally invests in funds, rather than individual companies, the Investment Committee and/or Board of Directors will review any concerning investments held within funds. However, as SSUF's primary fiduciary responsibility is to maximize investment return commensurate with risk, SSUF will strive to find an appropriate balance between maximizing investment return and honoring the values of sustainability through the use of SRI or ESG strategies.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s committee on investor responsibility is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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