UN Principles for Responsible Investment launches new reporting framework for signatories

“Core set of questions” for investor signatories from 2013

The United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) is launching its new reporting framework for its investor signatories – featuring mandatory disclosure requirements for the first time from next year.

The revision, which will involve the public disclosure of a core set of questions for all investor signatories, is being seen as boosting the ability of investors to report their responsible investment activity.

It marks the first change in reporting requirements since the launch of the PRI in 2006; the initiative has now grown to 1031 signatories, of which 249 are asset owners and 610 are asset managers.

The new framework will run on a voluntary, pilot, basis in 2012 and become compulsory from 2013.

Craig Mackenzie, Head of Sustainability at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, who chaired the Technical Committee which oversaw the changes, told Responsible Investor: “The PRI has been hugely successful at attracting signatories in the last few years. But, following the financial crisis there is more need than ever to answer the question: what has changed as a result?

“The new PRI Reporting Framework, with its mandatory disclosure requirements, is a big step forward in enabling signatories to report their activity in a transparent and comparable way and show that they are serious about RI.“The new framework follows a consultation last year which attracted 160 responses.

The PRI says the move is a response to increasing demands for accountability and transparency of the PRI itself and its signatories.

“A big step forward in enabling signatories to report their activity”

The new framework aims to deliver a detailed summary of the responsible investment activities of PRI signatories. And it will produce a set of user-friendly “off-the-shelf” reports to present to different audiences.
In addition, there will also be a confidential assessment report that will allow signatories to measure their performance. The pilot reporting framework has been released today (April 17). Link to PRI

Technical Committee Members:
Craig Mackenzie (SWIP); Erik Breen (Robeco); Faith Ward (Environment Agency Pension Fund); Jane Goodland (Towers Watson); Julie Gorte (PaxWorld); Louise Davidson (CBUS Superannuation Fund); Matt Christensen (AXA); Nada Villermain-Lecolier (FRR); Ole Buhl (ATP); Rachel Crossley (Broadwaters); Rafael Castro (PREVI); Tim van der Weide (PGGM); Tom Rotherham (Hermes); Toshi Oguchi (Governance for Owners); Will Oulton (Mercer)