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Message from Rose Easton, Interim Chief Responsible Investment Ecosystems Officer

As the PRI signatory base has grown around the world, so too has the PRI gradually built regional teams in each market – encouraging and supporting new signatories to join and existing signatories to progress.

While recruiting signatories has never been an end in itself for the PRI, there are numerous ways in which a larger, more diverse signatory base better serves the PRI’s mission. Furthermore, extolling the benefits of responsible investment has naturally gone hand-in-hand with supporting investors in signing and then implementing the six Principles, to guide and improve their responsible investment approach.

Now, after several years of strong growth – both in signatory numbers and the profile of responsible investment itself – the landscape is changing.

Reacting to maturing markets

In many countries, most investors are already PRI signatories – shifting the balance for our regional teams towards the importance of supporting the progression of existing signatories rather than the onboarding of new joiners.

In markets where we think further recruitment would help deliver the PRI’s mission, we now need to provide a much more tailored approach that understands and responds to why responsible investment has grown more slowly in that particular market. Markets in which responsible investment first took hold have, to a large degree, grown organically through relationships and recommendation – in markets where penetration remains relatively low, this approach alone is unlikely to spur interest.

Enhancing signatory support

Regionally focused employees have traditionally acted as the first point of contact for PRI signatories new and old, whether to guide them through our wide range of tools, guides and thought leadership, for queries on reporting and assessment or on many other aspects of the signatory experience.

In a PRI of 5,000+ signatories and growing, and an ever-wider array of PRI services, we believe we can provide a more comprehensive, more consistent support experience to signatories – wherever they are in the world – through a dedicated, centralised support team in our operations department.

We’re excited to be establishing a new global stakeholder services team that will provide this easy access to PRI services for signatories and other stakeholders worldwide.

To better serve signatories’ needs, we need to move beyond managing their relationship with the PRI, towards building a thriving responsible investment ecosystem in their market.

Building responsible investment ecosystems

Engaging with signatories in their region is crucial, but signatories need more from us than just a good relationship with the PRI. A clear message from our PRI in a Changing World consultation was that regional communities of practice, and input on the PRI’s strategic approach in each region are high priorities for signatories. We need to be deeply familiar with what signatories’ priorities are in their local market, and to what extent they need support from us on each of them.

To better serve signatories’ needs, we need to move beyond managing their relationship with the PRI, towards building a thriving responsible investment ecosystem in their market.

This means working with all the key players in the ecosystem: the individual asset owners and investment managers, but also service providers such as the investment consultants and data providers, policy makers, regulators, stock exchanges, sustainable investment forums and other regional associations that shape the market. We must identify the barriers to responsible investment-aligned capital flows right across the investment chain, and work collaboratively to address them.

We must convene investors, policy makers and other stakeholders – but also provide a connecting point for the groups and platforms that already play a convening role in each region, to help them connect with each other. As always, our goal remains to enable any work that serves the PRI’s mission, which includes supporting and complementing the work of peers, not competing or duplicating it.

Policy debate and regulatory frameworks are a fundamental aspect of developing strong ecosystems, for which local knowledge is a must. We need a deep understanding of whether a particular market has clear sustainability targets or a sustainable finance strategy, of which government entities are driving which developments, of the blend between country-specific and regional requirements, and more. Our policy engagement will therefore move from a single, central policy team to a dual model that sees regional policy teams delivering local policy engagement, guided by high-level priorities coordinated by a global policy team that will lead on international and multilateral engagement.

Deepening regional engagement

Our global perspective and reach has always been a strength of the PRI and one that is valued by our signatories. In the future, our people in countries around the world will work even more closely with signatories and their communities to support them in progressing their practices, engaging with regional policy and regulatory change and nurturing strong responsible investment ecosystems.

Continued global growth

Building the responsible investment community

Signatory numbers have increased 10% year-on-year, reaching 5,391 signatories (4,841 investors and 550 service providers) by 31 March 2023.[1]

PRI_AR_2023_Total_sigatories_by_year

After several years of very rapid growth in signatory numbers, this represents a natural slowing in the rate of new joiners as we start to reach saturation point in some of the most developed responsible investment markets. Regions with the highest number of PRI signatories – such as the US, and markets across Northern and Western Europe – saw larger drop-offs in new joiners than regions such as China, Africa, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, which have the fewest PRI signatories but maintained similar numbers of new joiners year-on-year.

Total signatories, by region (31 March 2023)

PRI_AR_2023_Total_Signatories_by_region

In absolute terms, the largest markets continue to drive the highest number of new joiners, with 287 from across mainland Europe (38% of new joiners), 150 from the US (20%) and 89 from the UK and Ireland (12%).

We were delighted to welcome 755 new signatories in total. For a complete list of signatories, including by join date, see the signatory directory.

18952_pri_ar_2023total_new_signatories_by_region_979729

Delisted signatories

We saw 269 organisations removed from the signatory list this year, an uptick on 134 the year before, although this is partly a result of a large increase in the signatory base in recent years providing a bigger pool for turnover, and the overall rate remains low.

A delisting does not always mean an organisation leaving the PRI or represent any drop in the quantity of assets committed to responsible investment – for instance 56 delistings this year were due to signatories merging with another signatory.

 

See a full list of delisted signatories

While some signatories choose to delist, or are delisted for failing to meet the requirements of being a signatory, other delistings arise for administrative reasons such as two signatories merging. Where signatories contact us asking to end their signatory status, we capture and report the reasons why, wherever possible.

Asked to be delisted

no longer interested

  • National Employment Savings Trust (NEST)
  • Kirwood Capital
  • Goodyields Capital GmbH
  • AV Trinity Ltd
  • Grosvenor Europe
  • Atlas One
  • Capital Midwest Fund
  • Thomas Schumann Capital®
  • Ajeej Capital
  • Thalmann & Verling Trust reg.
  • SofCap Partners Ltd.
  • Amp
  • Atalanta Sosnoff Capital, LLC
  • VERSO
  • EMIT CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (Provisional Signatory)
  • Mazarine Ventures
  • Peninsula Participações
  • EnTrust Global Partners LLC
  • Allegra Wealth Pty Ltd
  • Aster
  • LendInvest Limited
  • PeakBridge
  • Insurance AUM Journal, LLC
  • OBTON
  • Hildene Capital Management, LLC
  • Hadean Ventures AS
  • Tesco Pension Trustees Limited

lack of resource

  • EFA Group
  • Blackcrane Capital, LLC
  • Global Delta Capital (Provisional Signatory)
  • DiverseCity Ventures
  • SMART PRIVATE MANAGERS (LUXEMBOURG) S.A.
  • Lembas Capital
  • Who's Good
  • Social Enterprise Research Academy
  • Neumeier Poma Investment Counsel, LLC
  • Affinity Investment Advisors
  • Hitchwood Capital Management LP
  • Sustainable Impact Capital LP (Provisional signatory)
  • Faraday Venture Partners
  • Archax
  • PHOENIX CAPITAL
  • Pactia
  • GESCONSULT SA SGIIC
  • The Terra Fund (Provisional Signatory)
  • Seasons of Advice Wealth Management, LLC.
  • Rosehill Investments LLC (Provisional Signatory)
  • SD-M GmbH
  • Brentview Investment Management
  • BRE International Advisors
  • SkySaga Capital Management
  • Hayborough Investment Partners
  • Sunbridge Capital Partners LLC
  • Aitken Investment Management
  • Habona Invest
  • Middletown Works Hourly and Salaried Union Retirees Health Care Fund
  • MONETALIS SERVICES (Provisional SIgnatory)
  • Beekind
  • G2 Investment Partners
  • Impacq Capital Partners (Provisional Signatory)
  • Vineyard Infrastructure (Provisional Signatory)
  • Green.Health (Provisional Signatory)
  • Builders Union LLP
  • Lofoten Asset Management
  • Astia
  • Grey Innovation Investment Partners Pty Ltd
  • Umbra Capital Partners LLP
  • Conscious Investment Management Pty Ltd
  • Cooler Future (Provisional Signatory)
  • Kilgour Williams Capital
  • Moerus Capital Management LLC
  • Globescan Capital, Inc
  • Stabelo Asset Management AB
  • VELT Partners
  • Aker Horizons
  • XY Investments LLC
  • Bond&Devick Wealth Partners

no specified reason

  • Paia Consulting
  • American Triple I Partners (provisional signatory)
  • Katjesgreenfood
  • Pinpoint Equity Partners, SL
  • BACKBONE (Luxembourg) SA
  • Green Eight Capital AG
  • ESG Financial Corp. (Provisional Signatory)
  • ACI Capital Partners Luxembourg S.à r.l.
  • Mill Road Capital Management LLC
  • Zhangzhou Zhangjiang Private Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd.

Did not pay

  • Progression Capital Africa Limited
  • Aequalitas Capital Partners
  • Evo Group Holdings, LLC
  • Capital Kinetics Limited
  • Cybele Capital Partners LLP (provisional signatory)
  • SRI Capital
  • ASSETLY Investment Partners
  • BlackCrow Capital
  • Global BioFuture Solution
  • CITITRUST HOLDINGS PLC
  • ACUITE GROUP (Acuité Ratings and Research, ESG Risk AI, SMERA)
  • Smith Asset Management Group
  • Morningside Asset Management, LLC
  • National Rating Agency
  • Sustainable Network
  • SAW Software
  • Morpho Capital Partners (Provisional Signatory)
  • Millennial Energy Partners
  • Peoples Company


Merged or acquired

with/by another signatory

  • Obviam AG
  • Majedie Asset Management Limited
  • Greenspring Associates, Inc.
  • Private Advisors, LLC
  • DCI
  • Polen Capital Credit, LLC
  • TD Asset Management (TDAM USA Inc.)
  • Società Cattolica di Assicurazione - Società cooperativa
  • BNP Paribas Securities Services
  • Madison Capital Funding LLC
  • Fidelity (Canada) Asset Management ULC
  • UK Green Investment Bank Limited (trading as Green Investment Group)
  • FE fundinfo
  • Hexavest
  • Energy Industries Superannuation Scheme (EISS)
  • GoldPoint Partners LLC
  • Smith & Williamson Investment Management LLP
  • Snow Phipps Group, LLC
  • Newbury Partners
  • Celina Fondförvaltning AB
  • Australian Catholic Superannuation and Retirement Fund
  • ARA Asset Management Limited
  • HANSABAY PTE LTD
  • Infrastructure Capital Group
  • Lyxor Asset Management
  • Eaton Vance Corp.
  • ACTIAM
  • BT Financial Group
  • OpenInvest
  • Baring Private Equity Asia
  • Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC
  • Virtuoso Fund
  • Mauá Capital
  • SANNE Group plc
  • Max Mitteregger Kapitalförvaltning AB
  • BlueMacaw
  • Selection Asset Management GmbH
  • Landmark Partners
  • Macquarie Investment Management Europe S.A., ValueInvest
  • IMANTIA
  • Fondo Pensione CR Firenze
  • Alliance Entreprendre
  • QIVALIO
  • EMPLEADOS GRUPO BANKIA FP
  • Greyline Partners, LLC
  • Media Super
  • Trevian Funds AIFM
  • Veritas Institutional GmbH
  • CAAM Fund Services AB
  • Edinburgh Partners Limited
  • Life Sciences Partners (LSP)
  • Actis Asset Management
  • BW Equity GmbH
  • CAM Alternatives
  • New Energy Capital Partners, LLC
  • Proxinvest

with/by a non-signatory

  • Afena Capital (Pty) Limited
  • Christian Super
  • Zeo Capital Advisors, LLC
  • Velocity
  • ESG Administration LLC
  • Green Blue Invest (GBI) SA
  • Fortius Fund Management
  • EG Capital Advisors
  • ATTALEA PARTNERS

Reassignment of where signatory status sits within parent group

  • Dansk Vaekstkapital II
  • LMCG Investments, LLC
  • MACIF
  • Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.
  • Bank Cler
  • Vallbanc Fons SAU


Stopped operating

  • ERAAM
  • Vision Capital LLP
  • Vaekstfonden
  • FOCUS ASSET MANAGERS
  • Société Générale Securities Services GmbH
  • Geokalla
  • Alderwood Capital LLP
  • GO Investment Partners
  • caplantic GmbH
  • Karara Capital
  • Blackwall Capital Investment AG
  • Aquamarine Investment Partners
  • DCCP Deutsche Credit Capital AG (Provisional Signatory)
  • Conduction Capital Advisers
  • Governex Limited
  • BNP Paribas Capital Partners
  • AO Asset Management, LP
  • UnifyImpact
  • High Pointe Capital Management, LLC
  • Aeda Asset Management AB (provisional signatories)
  • Amazon Valley Administradora de Recursos
  • CBAM Partners, LLC
  • STONEHORN GLOBAL PARTNERS
  • IMX
  • REVITALIS Investment GmbH (Provisional Signatory)
  • Mayen Capital Management AG (Provisional Signatory)
  • PELHAM GLOBAL FINANCIALS
  • Idalia Capital, SGEIC, S.A. (Provisional Signatory)
  • Credo ESG Solutions Inc.
  • Seven Oaks Acquisition Corp
  • Circuitus Capital LLP
  • Columbus Point LLP
  • Methodical Valuation and Advisory Services
  • Future Matters
  • Backbone Capital Partners Limited
  • Black and White Capital LP
  • Stichting Total Pensioenfonds Nederland
  • JKMilne Asset Management
  • Redpoint Investment Management


Other

  • Oxfam Novib
  • Evangelische Bank
  • Adelphi Capital LLP
  • Baird Capital Partners Europe Limited (BCPE)
  • Rheos Capital Works Inc.
  • The Consolidated Retirement Fund for Local Government
  • TransAsia Private Capital Limited
  • Maitri Asset Management
  • Summit Global Investments
  • Caixa Econômica Federal - VIART
  • Leaders Arena
  • Ethical Markets Media, LLC
  • Fator Administração de Recursos
  • Panoramic Growth Equity
  • Tramondo Investment Partners AG
  • Healthy Investment
  • Grey Mountain Partners
  • Cambiar Investors
  • JL Alpha LLC
  • Allard Partners
  • Carlson Capital, L.P.
  • Crea8 Capital
  • Fidera
  • Impact Bridge
  • Altra Investments
  • Elevation Ventures (Provisional Signatory)
  • Inframco
  • Metavasi Capital
  • AENU Impact Advisory GmbH
  • Paloma Partners Management Company
  • Aritmetika
  • SFS RE (Provisional signatory)
  • FUND FOR AFRICA'S FUTURE (FUTURE AFRICA)
  • Fundana SA
  • Pactum AG
  • Immobel Capital Partners
  • Echo River Capital LLC
  • FOROS
  • Salacia Solutions
  • EquityCompass Investment Management, LLC
  • DSAM Partners
  • Bee Up Capital
  • Adragos Pharma
  • CONFRAPAR ADMINISTRAÇÃO E GESTÃO DE RECURSOS S/A
  • Ardan Equity Partners
  • Orpheus Partners
  • Gatemore Capital Management
  • Blue Oceans Capital
  • EQUICAP ASIA MANAGEMENT PRIVATE LIMITED
  • JSE Limited
  • FPA Multifamily
  • S Network Global Indexes, Inc.
  • Hadron Capital LLP

Asset owner focus

A further 70 asset owners became PRI signatories in 2022/23, making for a total of 730. As with overall signatory numbers, this represents a slight slowdown following three years of very high growth. 

PRI_AR_2023_New_Asset_Owner_signatories_by_year

Number of asset owners that signed up the PRI in each year. The cumulative total over time will be lower due to signatories leaving.

Insurance funds have been the biggest driver of asset owner growth in the three previous years, a dynamic that is even stronger this year with insurers making up more than half of all new asset owners.

This sustained growth has seen insurers become the largest type of asset owner in the signatory base, outnumbering public pension funds for the first time.[2]

PRI_AR_2023_Asset_owners_by_type_2019_2023

PRI_AR_2023_Asset_Owner_Signatories_by_region

 

 

Connecting with signatories

Fostering strong PRI-signatory relationships

The PRI has 33 signatory engagement professionals, working in 24 cities around the world, providing a personal relationship between the PRI and our more than 5,000 signatories in nearly 100 countries. Last year we held over 2,500 meetings with signatories, including meeting with more than half of our asset owners, and in total with signatories accounting for more than 60% of AUM.

We continue to use a blend of face-to-face meetings, video conferencing and other digital tools to provide signatories with more ways to connect with the PRI, and to better operate at scale.

Regional community of practice sessions, consisting of roundtable discussions with signatories on different components of the 2021 reporting, were trialled in Canada and Latin America, and are now running in multiple regions.

As the signatory base continues to grow, we are continuing to evolve our approach to better support signatories. New tools and new ways of working will be crucial to providing signatories all around the world a high-quality, consistent experience when engaging with the PRI, its products and its services.

The PRI is a collaborative, investor-led organisation. Signatories can get involved with our work in a whole host of ways – from joining advisory committees and signing up to initiatives, to attending events and getting involved in our governance. Check out opportunities on our get involved page.

In addition to PRI in Person & Online, we continued to run a comprehensive programme of fully virtual events throughout the year, including 86 webinars with more than 16,000 registrants.

 

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References

[1]As AUM calculations are based primarily on reporting data, the most recent data available at the time of publication was from 2021, which put AUM at US121.3 trillion, for 3,826 signatories (investors and service providers).

[2]Indicative only. The 2019 data is drawn from current signatories that signed up to the PRI by 31 March 2019. It therefore excludes some organisations that were signatories at 31 March 2019 but have since delisted.