| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 81.02 |
| Liaison | Sam Lubow |
| Submission Date | June 29, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Stanford University
PA-9: Sustainable Investment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.33 / 4.00 |
Moira
Hafer Sustainability Specialist Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Option 1: Positive Sustainability Investment
No
Total value of the investment pool:
---
Value of holdings in each of the following categories:
| Value of Holdings | |
| Sustainable industries (e.g. renewable energy or sustainable forestry) | 0 US/Canadian $ |
| Businesses selected for exemplary sustainability performance (e.g. using criteria specified in a sustainable investment policy) | 0 US/Canadian $ |
| Sustainability investment funds (e.g. a renewable energy or impact investment fund) | 0 US/Canadian $ |
| Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) or the equivalent | 0 US/Canadian $ |
| Socially responsible mutual funds with positive screens (or the equivalent) | 0 US/Canadian $ |
| Green revolving loan funds that are funded from the endowment | --- |
If any of the above is greater than zero, provide:
---
Percentage of the institution's investment pool in positive sustainability investments:
0
Option 2: Investor Engagement
Yes
Sustainable Investment Policy
Yes
None
A copy of the sustainable investment policy:
None
The sustainable investment policy:
http://irsr.stanford.edu/documents/Stanford%20University%20Statement%20on%20Investment%20Responsibility.pdf
None
Does the institution use its sustainable investment policy to select and guide investment managers?:
Yes
None
A brief description of how the policy is applied, including recent examples:
Stanford University has developed and applied certain investment responsibility proxy voting guidelines which address many current Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues.
For example, in 1998, Stanford University adopted a climate change proxy voting guideline that states the following: “Stanford votes ‘Yes’ on resolutions that companies analyze levels of greenhouse gas emissions, develop action plans to reduce them, report on significant company actions to remediate, reduce and/or eliminate them, and continually assess and report on material impacts caused by company action and/or inaction with respect to greenhouse gas emissions.”
Stanford University’s Statement on Investment Responsibility directs that the University will normally “vote according to existing University proxy voting guidelines.”
Stanford has also adopted investment policies which preclude directly owning securities in specific companies with operations in Sudan, specific companies in the tobacco industry and specific companies whose principal business is the mining of coal for use in energy generation.
Proxy Voting
Yes
None
A copy of the proxy voting guidelines or proxy record:
None
A brief description of how managers are adhering to proxy voting guidelines:
---
Shareholder Resolutions
No
None
Examples of how the institution has engaged with corporations in its portfolio about sustainability issues during the previous three years:
Stanford University adopted an investment policy which precludes directly owning securities in specific companies whose principal business is the mining of coal for use in energy generation.
In taking the action, the trustees endorsed the recommendation of the university's Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing (APIRL). This panel, which includes representatives of students, faculty, staff and alumni, conducted an extensive review over the last several months of the social and environmental implications of investment in fossil fuel companies.
The resolution means that Stanford will not directly invest in directly held publicly traded companies for which coal extraction is the primary business, and will divest of any current direct holdings in such companies. Stanford also will recommend to its external investment managers, who invest in wide ranges of securities on behalf of the university, that they avoid investments in these public companies as well.
Negative Screens / Divestment Efforts
---
None
A brief description of the negative screens and how they have been implemented:
Coal - Stanford University adopted an investment policy which precludes directly owning securities in specific companies whose principal business is the mining of coal for use in energy generation.
Tobacco – During the 1990s, Stanford implemented many proxy voting guidelines and engaged corporations in an effort to end injuries caused by company products. In 1998, Stanford ended investment in core tobacco companies.
Human Rights – Stanford adopted investment policies which preclude directly owning securities in specific companies with operations in Sudan.
None
Approximate percentage of the endowment that the negative screens apply to:
---
Investor Networks
Yes
None
A brief description of the investor networks and/or collaborations:
Stanford participates in the College and University Consortium on Investor Responsibility and is a member of CERES.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The link to an article describing Stanford's decision to divest from coal companies on May 6, 2014:
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/may/divest-coal-trustees-050714.html
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.