Williams College
PA-9: Committee on Investor Responsibility
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Abigail
Wattley Director Investment Office |
Does the institution have a formally established and active committee on investor responsibility (CIR) or equivalent body?:
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 Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility (ACSR) is a non-standing committee composed of two faculty, two staff, two students, and two alumni. When requested by a member of the College community, the ACSR provides advice to the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees on matters relating to non-financial aspects of the investment portfolio. The ACSR stands ready to respond to requests from the College community concerning socially responsible investment of the endowment, and as a result of an evaluation it may decide to recommend action to the Investment Committee. In making recommendations, the ACSR seeks to carry out its responsibilities in a manner consistent with College policies and values. It recognizes the importance of combining strong financial performance with social and environmental commitment.
Periodically, the ACSR has played a role in providing comment on other matters, including recommending investment vehicles for the Williams Social Choice Fund — an alumni giving option that both helps the College fulfill its mission and contributes to positive social and environmental change.
Does the CIR include academic staff representation?:
Does the CIR include non-academic staff representation?:
Does the CIR include student representation?:
Members of the CIR, including affiliations and role:
Most recent membership:
Paul Karabinos (Faculty), Ralph Bradburd (Faculty), David Love (Provost), Paul Neely ’68 (Alumni), Laurie Thomsen ’79 (Alumni), Abigail Wattley ‘05 (Staff, ex-officio), Students (2, as elected by student council), Additional Staff Member (1)
Examples of CIR actions during the previous three years:
The ACSR exists to discuss topics brought forward to the Committee related to socially responsible investment.
An example of this is in 2015 when the ACSR considered a proposal for the divestment of fossil fuels, where they published "A Proposal for Divestment" presented to the Board of Trustees. The President and the Board of Trustees concluded for many reasons that Williams will not respond with the symbolic act of divestment, but rather by making significant investments in clean energy projects, practices and companies, and in our core educational mission.
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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