1st Edition

The Responsible Investor Handbook Mobilizing Workers' Capital for a Sustainable World

By Thomas Croft, Annie Malhotra Copyright 2016
    320 Pages
    by Routledge

    320 Pages
    by Routledge

    For decades, workers’ capital stewards have invested wisely to provide a secure retirement for millions of people around the world. This money – our money – represents an enormous share of economic and capital market wealth. It has seeded and grown innumerable innovative industries that have had far-reaching impacts. However, the 2008 financial crisis has seriously threatened these trusted assets and drained away prosperity.In response, a growing number of investors are moving towards responsible investment policies and strategies, addressing the rising expectations of consumers and benefiting from the financial advantages such strategies bring. Everyday citizens now want to see their investments not only do well, but do good.

    But, what constitutes responsible investment, and how can it be undertaken in practice? What is the impact of responsible investment strategies on investment performance? How can trustees, managers and advisors implement these strategies in line with their fiduciary responsibilities? How can plan trustees and staff members convince all stakeholders of the need to invest in resilient growth?The Responsible Investor Handbook, commissioned by the AFL-CIO and global progressive investors, is a lay-friendly “how-to” manual, sharing the best in responsible investment practice with capital stewards and other policy leaders who want to do the right thing with our common wealth.This invaluable toolkit enables readers to:

    Understand the pioneering role of workers’ capital in building infrastructure and vital services

    Devise a responsible investment strategy

    Select and monitor service providers

    Bring on board stakeholders with conflicting interests

    Avoid short-termism

    The Responsible Investor Handbook is the first book devoted to aligning the long-term investment priorities of working people with capital stewards and the financial complex that manages their assets. It is an essential read for trustees and capital stewards seeking the positive outcomes of a responsible investment strategy; pension and institutional investors looking to realign their strategies with the interests of workers and citizens; and any professional seeking a better understanding of the importance of responsible investment and its impact on capital markets.

    Introduction Section A: The momentum toward responsible investments I. Responsible investments in the USII. The global responsible investment movement and the launch of the UN PRI Section B: Pension fund management, governance and fiduciary considerations III. Pension fund management IV. Pension fund structures and governance V. Reclaiming fiduciary duty Section C: Responsible investment approaches and asset allocation VI. Responsible corporate governance and active ownership VII. Investing responsibly across traditional asset classes VIII. Responsible alternative investments Section D: Implementation and measurement IX. Selection and implementation of desired responsible approaches X. Criteria for evaluating responsible investment performance Conclusion: Renewing the real economy, restoring retirement trust Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: Important links Appendix C: Responsible investment support organizations About the authors Acknowledgments

    Biography

    Croft, Thomas; Malhotra, Annie

    "The Responsible Investor Handbook is a wake-up call to those workers who have not yet developed their voice and sit passively among sophisticated bankers who focus on the short-term earnings and speak a language they don’t understand. There are thousands of these worker reps with untapped power to make a difference and many have already realized: 'This is our money, our future!'" - G. Benjamin Bingham, CEO and Founder of Scarab Funds and 3Sisters Sustainable Management, writing for The Huffington Post