Responsible investment

Responsible investment isn’t just the right thing to do, it makes sound financial sense. That’s why we integrate environmental, social and governance considerations when we make investment decisions.

At the forefront of responsible investing since 1970

You can trust that for us sustainability isn’t just a fad. It’s something we’ve been doing for decades. As far back as the 1970s we were holding companies to account by voting at their annual meetings.

For us, responsible investment is a way to get the best possible return for you in the long term. We’ve always believed that companies that conduct their business in a responsible and sustainable way are more likely to succeed over time, benefiting both you and society. Bad practices don’t just hit the headlines, they hit the bottom line as well.

Our commitment to responsible investment is fundamental to our goal of delivering the specific and meaningful outcomes that matter most to today’s investor. To do so, we focus on investment integration, active stewardship and market reform.

How we do it

Investment integration

We work together with fund managers and analysts, customising environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration across our investment process, to deliver improved investment outcomes for clients.

Strong stewardship

We use our influence through engagement and voting to promote sustainable business practices, gain insight and reduce investment risk. And we’re not afraid to call out bad performance.

Contributing to a changing world

The financial system is failing and we can’t wait on the sidelines. We voice our concerns to governments and regulators around the world to build a future we want to retire into.

View our approach

2017 highlights

More ESG champions

We grew our internal Responsible Investment Officer Network to more than 40 investment professionals.

Promoted good business practices

We engaged 1,381 companies around the world and voted against 26% of management resolutions including 44% of pay proposals.

Recognised leadership

We won Responsible Investor Award for Innovation & Industry Leadership 2017.

Building trust and delivering value

In partnership with The Investment Association and ITN Productions, this four-minute Aviva Investors video highlights the crucial role of asset managers to create a more sustainable world.