| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.92 |
| Liaison | Mat Thijssen |
| Submission Date | Oct. 26, 2021 |
University of Waterloo
PA-10: Sustainable Investment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 4.00 |
Mat
Thijssen Sustainability Manager Sustainability Office |
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 funds funded from the endowment | 0 US/Canadian $ |
A brief description of the companies, funds, and/or institutions referenced above:
Percentage of the institution's investment pool in positive sustainability investments:
Does the institution have a publicly available sustainable investment policy?:
A copy of the sustainable investment policy:
The sustainable investment policy:
Does the institution use its sustainable investment policy to select and guide investment managers?:
A brief description of how the sustainable investment policy is applied:
Yes, this is included in the guidelines for selection of investment managers. During the selection process, potential Managers are asked to describe their processes and procedures regarding application of ESG principles within their investment philosophy, the availability of data and or information, and to illustrate their performance in this. The Board has approved two new investment managers/funds selected specifically with ESG factors in mind, one of which is a Sustainability Fund. To date, there have not been investments made into this fund within the Endowment and IQC Special Purpose Trust.
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?:
A copy of the proxy voting guidelines or proxy record:
A brief description of how managers are adhering to proxy voting guidelines:
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?:
Examples of how the institution has engaged with corporations in its portfolio about sustainability issues during the previous three years:
Does the institution participate in a public divestment effort and/or have a publicly available investment policy with negative screens?:
A brief description of the divestment effort or negative screens and how they have been implemented:
Approximate percentage of endowment that the divestment effort and/or negative screens apply to:
Does the institution engage in policy advocacy by participating in investor networks and/or engage in inter-organizational collaborations to share best practices?:
A brief description of the investor networks and/or collaborations:
The University of Waterloo is a signatory to the UN PRI and has a commitment through the Responsible Investing Advisory Group’s endorsed recommendations to join in investor engagement networks.
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:
The University of Waterloo’s Board of Governors has endorsed a responsible investing approach to reduce the carbon intensity of its investment portfolio by 50% by 2030, and to achieve a carbon neutral portfolio by 2040. The endorsement includes a statement of expectation that, to meet these targets, there would be no meaningful investments in fossil fuels by 2025. This approach is now being integrated into both the Pension & Benefits Committee ongoing decision-making and into the Finance and Investments Committee.
The University of Waterloo’s Board of Governors has endorsed a responsible investing approach to reduce the carbon intensity of its investment portfolio by 50% by 2030, and to achieve a carbon neutral portfolio by 2040. The endorsement includes a statement of expectation that, to meet these targets, there would be no meaningful investments in fossil fuels by 2025. This approach is now being integrated into both the Pension & Benefits Committee ongoing decision-making and into the Finance and Investments Committee.
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.