Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 76.52
Liaison Maria Kirrane
Submission Date July 28, 2022

STARS v2.2

University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
PA-10: Sustainable Investment

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Diarmuid Collins
Bursar/ Chief Financial Office
Finance Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Positive sustainability investment

Total value of the investment pool:
32,412,029 US/Canadian $

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) 13,233,679 US/Canadian $
Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) or the equivalent 0 US/Canadian $
Socially responsible mutual funds with positive screens (or the equivalent) 13,992,426 US/Canadian $
Green revolving funds funded from the endowment 0 US/Canadian $

If any of the above is greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the companies, funds, and/or institutions referenced above:
Investments include forestry funds, ethical global equity fund, Irish energy efficiency fund, and renewable energy funds. Since the last valuation (2017) the portfolio has increased the proportion of sustainability investment funds. It’s gained exposure to new themes (e.g., sustainable property) while also increasing its participation in existing themes such as renewable energy and social infrastructure.

Percentage of the institution's investment pool in positive sustainability investments:
84.00

Part 2. Investor engagement

Sustainable investment policy 

Does the institution have a publicly available sustainable investment policy?:
No

None
A copy of the sustainable investment policy:
---

None
The sustainable investment policy:
UCC is a signatory to the United Nations Principles on Responsible Investment. Becoming a signatory required UCC to sign a declaration agreeing to:
• To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into
investment analysis and decision-making processes;
• To be an active owner and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies
and practices;
• To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
• To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the
investment industry;
• To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
• To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

More information can be found here.
https://www.unpri.org/signatories/become-a-signatory

None
Does the institution use its sustainable investment policy to select and guide investment managers?:
Yes

A brief description of how the sustainable investment policy is applied:
As a signatory of the UN PRI, UCC have agreed
• To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into
investment analysis and decision-making processes;
• To be an active owner and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies
and practices;
• To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
• To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the
investment industry;
• To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
• To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

Proxy voting 

Has the institution engaged in proxy voting, either by its CIR or other committee or through the use of guidelines, to promote sustainability during the previous three years?:
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:
Both the equity managers in the portfolio engage with companies to the extent possible and exercise shareholder rights through proxy voting.

Shareholder resolutions 

Has the institution filed or co-filed one or more shareholder resolutions that address sustainability or submitted one or more letters about social or environmental responsibility to a company in which it holds investments during the previous three years?:
No

Examples of how the institution has engaged with corporations in its portfolio about sustainability issues during the previous three years:
---

Divestment efforts and negative screens

Does the institution participate in a public divestment effort and/or have a publicly available investment policy with negative screens?:
Yes

A brief description of the divestment effort or negative screens and how they have been implemented:
As a signatory of the UN PRI, UCC have agreed
• To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into
investment analysis and decision-making processes;
• To be an active owner and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies
and practices;
• To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
• To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the
investment industry;
• To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
• To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

Approximate percentage of endowment that the divestment effort and/or negative screens apply to:
100

Investor networks 

Does the institution engage in policy advocacy by participating in investor networks and/or engage in inter-organizational collaborations to share best practices?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the investor networks and/or collaborations:
As a signatory of the UN PRI, UCC have agreed
• To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into
investment analysis and decision-making processes;
• To be an active owner and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies
and practices;
• To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
• To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the
investment industry;
• To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
• To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable investment efforts is available:
---

Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Investment data as of December 2021.

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.