Support for the Asset Owner (AO) Statement on Climate Stewardship has surged since its launch earlier this year, with assets represented by the coalition increasing from around USD1.5trn to USD2trn AUM since February. 

The group confirmed that the asset owner coalition behind the statement had passed the USD 2trn milestone after eight more organisations endorsed the statement, which aims to provide clear and consistent expectations regarding climate stewardship.  

The statement is intended to facilitate constructive conversations on climate stewardship and embed greater efficiencies into the stewardship chain, empowering asset manager stewardship teams to deliver on their asset owner climate objectives as part of their mandates. 

The new signatories to the statement are: Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), IRCANTEC, Établissement de Retraite additionnelle de la Fonction publique (ERAPF), Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR), Mutuelle assurance des instituteurs de France (MAIF), Malakoff Humanis, Sammelstiftung Vita, and the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).

Commenting on the rise in backing, statement lead and People's Partnership head of responsible investment, Leanne Clements, said: “It is fantastic news that the AO Statement on Climate Stewardship has garnered additional support over the past few months.  

"Increased support of the statement will help to raise the collective asset owner voice as owners of capital and strengthen the asset owner-fund manager relationship.  

"Asset owners continuing to set the bar on climate expectations, especially in this challenging external landscape, is extremely critical in the lead up to 2030, for the ultimate benefit of its members.”

Adding to this, ERAFP head of responsible investment, Pierre Devichi, said: “ERAFP is convinced that climate change – together with nature loss – is a key risk for financial stability and financial returns in the long term. 

"As such, and in accordance with its long-term investment horizon and its fiduciary duty, ERAFP is committed to fighting climate change. Studies and experience have shown that stewardship activities – namely voting and engagement – are essential tools to influence the real economy towards decarbonation.

"Yet, despite this clear alignment of interests, asset managers’ climate stewardship activities must be enhanced.

"With this statement, ERAFP wants to highlight best practices and clearly set its expectations, aligned with those of many peers, to prompt asset managers to significantly bolster their action in this critical component of sustainable investing in order to effectively serve asset owners’ needs – and ultimately, those of beneficiaries." 
 
This article was originally published on our sister title, Pensions Age.

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