Responsible investment resources for asset owners

Quick links

Asset owners set the direction of markets and therefore play a key role in promoting and embedding ESG (environment, social and governance) factors throughout the investment chain.

The PRI has many resources to help asset owners develop a responsible investment strategy. To hear more about our asset owner work, contact us.

Latest resources

Investing for Sustainability Impact guidance
2024-11-21T10:00:00+00:00
This guide was created for PRI signatories – both asset owners and investment managers – on investing for sustainability impact.
Developing and updating a responsible investment policy
2023-11-13T10:00:00+00:00
A technical guide for asset owners and investment managers
Evaluating managers’ stewardship for sustainability
2023-09-21T08:00:00+01:00
The PRI has created a tool to evaluate and compare managers’ stewardship practices for sustainability outcomes, and a due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) which they can use to discuss this topic with investment managers.

Technical guides for asset owners

Our technical guides, divided into five modules set out below, are designed to help asset owners develop a responsible investment strategy and requirements, and then select, appoint and monitor an investment manager accordingly. Please select one of the modules below.

Introductory guides

ESG incorporation best practice articles blog

Leadership in ESG incorporation – asset owners

To meet their climate change commitments, asset owners will need to develop increasingly sophisticated systematic approaches to assessing and benchmarking the alignment of prospective managers.

Due diligence questionnaires

Asset owner DDQs

The PRI has produced responsible investment due diligence questionnaires (DDQs) for asset owners to help them assess investment managers’ approaches to responsible investment.

Webinars and video recordings

More resources

Incorporating human rights and climate into investment mandates
2022-07-11T11:33:00+01:00
The ICGN have recently published an update of the ICGN model mandate paper alongside the GISD. In this session we will explore the paper, how it might be used and how the relationship between asset managers and asset owners has changed since the publication of the original paper in 2012.
PRI Digital Conference: Fund governance for the next generation
2022-01-31T11:16:00+00:00
This session we explore how asset owners should react, what their responsibilities are and how relationships with asset managers and beneficiaries might change.
Committing to Net Zero as a smaller asset owner – expectations, strategy and action
2021-11-01T13:38:00+00:00
During this episode, Eline Sleurink, Head of UK and Ireland and Middle East, Dave Gorman, Head of Social Responsibility and Sustainability, University of Edinburgh and Ben Pollard, CEO and Cofounder, Cushon discuss how the University of Edinburgh and Cushon have set a net zero target, the first steps they are ...

Inside PRI data: Investment manager practices

There are many responsible investment practices that are now widely practised among the PRI’s investment manager signatories. A large majority publish core policies and have executive oversight of their implementation.

Inside PRI data: asset owner action

This report analyses the responses of asset owner signatories who participated in PRI reporting in 2021. It covers asset owners’ top-level commitments, responsible investment policies, processes for selecting, appointing and monitoring managers, and climate-change strategies.

The evolution of responsible investment: an analysis of advanced signatory practices

This report delves into which practices have shifted to become the norm, and which ones remain advanced, suggesting that they are more challenging to implement.

Service Providers reported in 2020

This report provides basic information about PRI service provider signatories that publicly reported in 2020 and the services that they offer.

Investment consultants and ESG: an asset owner guide

Investment consultants advise on how trillions of dollars are invested worldwide, but most consultants are failing to consider the role that ESG issues play in investment performance.

Achieving climate commitments in multi-asset portfolios

This report helps asset owners address the complexity of implementing a climate commitment across multi-asset portfolios.

Asset owners are in a strong position to lead market transformation. Sitting at the top of the investment chain, they set the direction of markets. If asset owners fully and effectively implement responsible investment commitments, they will accelerate RI’s development and promote sustainable growth.

- David Atkin (PRI)

A synergistic, collaborative relationship between asset owners and managers is vital to achieving critical sustainability outcomes.

- Emily Farrimond (Baringa)

We expect investment managers to provide further transparency in ESG integration such as ESG policies, processes, resources, disclosures, and active ownership practices where relevant.

- Eri Yamaguchi, ESG Officer (New York State Common Retirement Fund)

ESG goals

How asset owners and their managers can work together on ESG goals

Following the release of our technical guides on selecting, appointing and monitoring investment managers, the PRI convened a number of panel discussions to talk through how asset owners can work collaboratively with investment managers throughout the selection, appointment and monitoring process.

Find out more