Activism
As investors, we have an opportunity to engage with companies and the public in addressing environmental and other corporate responsibility concerns that inform our investment process.
We employ several different engagement strategies, all of which are integrated into our research and investment process, thereby linking our investment decisions with the success or failure of our company engagements. We also support and collaborate with As You Sow, a non-profit organization using shareholder activism to ensure that corporations act responsibly. Our primary concerns are corporate actions taken at the expense of employees, environment, and community. Communications and Proxy Voting are the primary engagement strategies.
Communications
Portfolio 21's selection process seeks companies best positioned to succeed financially given the increasing challenges posed to business by human activities that extend beyond the earth's ecological limits. We believe investors can play an important role in raising awareness of environmental concerns through direct dialogue with government and community stakeholders. During our research and selection process, there are opportunities to share our concerns with companies. By questioning companies on their environmental performance and informing companies when they fail our evaluation criteria, we hope to educate and motivate companies to improve. Many companies do not understand the depth of the ecological crisis, let alone have plans to address the challenge.
Read about our recent Communications, Rejected Companies, and Divested Companies
Proxy Voting
Through active proxy voting, Portfolio 21 supports all beneficial environmental and corporate responsibility resolutions placed on the ballots of companies in the fund.
Recent proxy voting report