Manulife Investment Management named to PRI Leaders' Group 2020 in recognition of 'Cutting Edge' Responsible Investment Practices

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Oct 19, 2020, 09:00 ET

Releases annual Sustainable and Responsible Investing Report outlining ESG initiatives across investment teams

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TORONTO and BOSTON, Oct. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - As sustainable investing continues to drive interest across the globe, Manulife Investment Management announced it was recently recognized in the Principles for Responsible Investment's PRI Leaders' Group 2020, a 10-year initiative honoring signatories at the cutting edge of responsible investment. This year, 36 signatories, including Manulife Investment Management, were recognized for demonstrating responsible investment excellence in climate reporting throughout their organization and portfolios.

"We are grateful to the PRI for recognizing our efforts in integrating climate data and analysis into our portfolios and pleased to detail our extensive sustainability initiatives across our investment teams in our Sustainable and Responsible Investing Report," said Paul Lorentz, President and CEO, Manulife Investment Management. "Sustainability is a natural fit for our organization, given our traditional focus on risk management and investment research, and our history of sustainably operating real assets such as timber and farmland. Today, we offer a number of ways for investors to align their investments with their values, and our commitment to ESG investing deepens every year."

Manulife Investment Management showcases its ongoing commitment to ESG analysis, research, and integration with its second annual Sustainable and Responsible Investing Report. Released today, the report covers activities in both public and private markets in sustainable asset management and showcases a holistic view of Manulife Investment Management's sustainability-focused research capabilities, engagement activities, and asset ownership practices. The document also demonstrates concrete steps taken at the firm throughout 2019 to integrate sustainability considerations into investment decision-making. The Sustainable and Responsible Investing Report outlines Manulife Investment Management's key areas of sustainability focus and metrics of success. Focus areas include strong governance, ESG integration, active and responsible ownership, and global collaboration across numerous platforms for broader industry effectiveness.

Highlights from private markets in 2019, pertaining to real estate, private equity and infrastructure, included formalizing a robust governance structure for its sustainable investing program, actively participating in industry associations such as Leading Harvest Sustainable Farmland Management Standard and improving Real Estate GRESB scores, earning a "Green Star" ranking in six submissions. In public markets, Manulife Investment Management advanced ESG integration and active engagement across its equity and fixed-income capabilities. As a result, Manulife Investment Management won the 2019 SDG Canadian Leadership Awards for large enterprise – Canada's premier award for organizations and businesses doing exceptional work to integrate and advance the 17 Sustainable and Development Goals of the United Nations Global Compact.

"We're proud of the progress we've made driving our sustainable and responsible investing at Manulife Investment Management as we strive to lead the industry in ESG integration practices," said Christopher P. Conkey, CFA, global head of public markets, Manulife Investment Management. "For investors, focusing on sustainability is more important now than it has ever been; the world is running up against the limits of natural capital, which increases social and economic risks in virtually every corner of the capital markets. Sustainability and resilience are central to our clients' objectives, to the broader set of stakeholders with whom we work, and to the communities whose lives are touched by our capital allocation decisions."

"Responsible stewardship of our clients' capital resides at the core of our business and culture," added Stephen J. Blewitt, global head of private markets, Manulife Investment Management. "As sustainable investing continues to migrate from the margins of our industry to its mainstream, investor demand drives that shift. By doing the right things for the right reasons, we also aspire to be a partner of choice for clients who recognize that ESG considerations are often tied to economic ones."

Inaugural TCFD report

As part of its 2019 Sustainable and Responsible Investing report, Manulife Investment Management included its inaugural TCFD report—which follows the voluntary disclosure framework developed by the Financial Stability Board's Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD). The framework sets out how businesses should disclose climate-related financial risks and opportunities within the context of their existing disclosure requirements. For Manulife Investment Management, this report offers details on the firm's approach to climate-related sustainability governance, risk management, strategy for managing climate-related risks and opportunities, and the metrics used to manage and monitor alignment with climate-related goals.

Top Scores on PRI Assessment

Also contained in the 2019 report is Manulife Investment Management's recently announced Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) assessment results and rationale. Scores for 2019 included:

A+ for strategy and governance  
A+ for equity integration  
A+ for SSA fixed-income integration (sovereign, supranational, and agency debt)   
A for real estate
A for equity active ownership
A for fixed income (corporate financial, corporate non-financial, and securitized)  
B for infrastructure (this asset class was submitted for the first time)
B for private equity (this asset class was submitted for the first time)

Click here for more information about the Manulife Investment Management 2019 Sustainable and Responsible Investing Report.

About Manulife Investment Management
Manulife Investment Management is the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 17 countries and territories. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement.

As of June 30, 2020, Manulife Investment Management had CAD$900 billion (US$660 billion) in assets under management and administration. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

SOURCE Manulife Investment Management