Collaboration
When we work closely with other like-minded investors, we can maximize our impact in improving ESG-related disclosure and corporate practices. Our strategic collaborations allow us to address the issues that are becoming increasingly important to shareholders.
UN Principles for Responsible Investment
RBC GAM and BlueBay Asset Management LLP are signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI is a leading global network for investors committed to integrating ESG considerations into their investment practices and ownership policies. We are committed to putting the PRI’s six Principles of Responsible Investment into practice and believe that they are aligned with our existing approach to responsible investment. A member of RBC GAM’s Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment team sits on the Policy Committee.
We are also a signatory to the PRI Statement on ESG in Credit Ratings, which encourages credit rating agencies to proactively take ESG factors into consideration for relevant issuers.
1. We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.
2. We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
3. We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
4. We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.
5. We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.
6. We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.
Evaluations
The PRI evaluates signatories' approaches to the Principles based on its assessment methodology. Please see below for the results of our most recent Assessment Report. The group to calculate module medians includes all PRI signatories who submitted and were eligible to report on the module:
2021 PRI Assessment - Summary Scorecard
As part of the paid annual membership services, the PRI evaluates signatories' approaches to the Principles based on its assessment methodology. Once the responses are assessed, all indicator scores are aggregated and modules are assigned a numerical score, converted from a points-based system ranging from 0 to 100. Scores from the 2021 reporting cycle cannot be compared to those from previous years. Prior to 2021, module scores used an alphabetical grading (A+ to E) system. Our firm’s full transparency report as one of over 2,000 signatories can be found here: RBC GAM PRI Transparency Report. Our firm’s full private Assessment Report from the UN PRI is available upon request. Our firm’s full private Assessment Report from the PRI is available upon request.
RI Transparency Report
RBC GAM’s detailed responses to the UN PRI on our responsible investing activities for the most recent year.
We work closely with other like-minded investors and investor coalitions to improve the ESG-related disclosure and practices of our investee companies.
30% Club Canadian Investor Group
RBC GAM is a signatory to the 30% Club Canadian Investor Group. The group is a coalition of Canada’s largest institutional investors with the objective to achieve a minimum of 30% women on the boards and in senior management roles of S&P/TSX composite index companies. For more information on the investor group’s commitment to gender diversity, please see its Statement of Intent.
Alternative Investment Management Association
BlueBay is a member of the Alternative Investment Manager Association (AIMA). AIMA is the global representative of the alternative investment industry and draws upon the expertise and diversity of its membership to provide leadership in industry initiatives such as advocacy, policy and regulatory engagement, educational programmes and sound practice guides.
Canadian Coalition for Good Governance
RBC GAM is a founding member of Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG) . The CCGG promotes good governance practices in Canadian public companies and works to improve the regulatory environment to best align the interests of boards and management with their shareholders. Members of RBC GAM’s Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment team serve on the Public Policy and Environmental & Social committees.
CDP
RBC GAM and BlueBay are signatories to the CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project. The CDP runs the global disclosure system that enables entities to measure and manage their environmental impacts and strives to advance environmental disclosure.
Climate Action 100+
RBC GAM and BlueBay are signatories to the Climate Action 100+. This investor collaboration focuses on active engagement with the world’s largest publicly traded and systemically important carbon emitters, or companies with significant opportunity to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Climate Engagement Canada (CEC)
RBC GAM is a Founding Participant of Climate Engagement Canada (CEC), a finance-led initiative that aims to drive dialogue between the financial community and Canadian corporations to promote a just transition to a net-zero economy. This is a national engagement program, akin to Climate Action 100+. A member of RBC GAM’s CGRI team serves on the Technical Steering Committee.
Council of Institutional Investors
RBC GAM is a member of the Council of Institutional Investors (CII). The CII aims to promote effective corporate governance, strong shareowner rights and vibrant, transparent and fair capital markets.
Emerging Markets Investor Alliance
BlueBay is a member of the Emerging Markets Investor Alliance (EMIA). The EMIA aims to enable institutional emerging market investors to support good governance, promote sustainable development, and improve investment performance in the governments and companies in which they invest.
European Leveraged Finance Association
BlueBay is a member of the European Leveraged Finance Association. The ELFA aims to seek a more transparent, efficient, and resilient leveraged finance market.
Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return
BlueBay is a member of the Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return (FAIRR). FAIRR is a collaborative investor network that raises awareness of the ESG risks and opportunities brought about by intensive livestock production.
Global Foreign Exchange Committee
RBC GAM is signatory to the FX Global Code July 2021, a set of global principles of good practice in the foreign exchange market, developed to provide a common set of guidelines to promote the integrity and effective functioning of the wholesale foreign exchange market. It was developed by a partnership between central banks and Market Participants from 20 jurisdictions around the globe. The Global Foreign Exchange Committee promotes, maintains and updates the Code regularly. RBC GAM’s Head of Global Fixed Income & Currencies is a member of the Canadian FX Committee.
Global Impact Investing Network
RBC GAM and BlueBay are members of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). The GIIN is the global champion of impact investing, dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing around the world.
International Corporate Governance Network
RBC GAM is a member of the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN). The ICGN aims to promote effective standards of corporate governance and investor stewardship to advance efficient market and sustainable economies worldwide. A member of RBC GAM’s Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment team is a member of the ICGN Global Governance Committee.
IFRS Foundation
RBC GAM and BlueBay are members of the IFRS Sustainability Alliance, a global membership program for sustainability standards, integrated reporting, and integrated thinking. Upon the Value Reporting Foundation’s consolidation into the IFRS Foundation, the IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) assumed responsibility for the SASB Standards. The ISSB has committed to build on the industry-based SASB Standards and leverage SASB’s industry-based approach to standards development. The ISSB encourages preparers and investors to continue to use SASB Standards.
Investor Stewardship Group
RBC GAM is a founding member of the Investor Stewardship Group (ISG). The ISG is a collective of institutional investors brought together to establish a framework of basic standards of investment stewardship for institutional investors and corporate governance principles for U.S. listed companies. A member of RBC GAM’s Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment team is a member of the ISG board.
Investors Launch Framework for U.S. Stewardship and Governance
Investment Association
BlueBay is a member of the Investment Association. The Investment Association is the UK’s membership association for investment managers.
Investors Policy Dialogue on Deforestation (IPDD)
RBC GAM is a supporting investor of the IPDD in Brazil, which is co-chaired by BlueBay. The IPDD initiative aims to coordinate a public policy dialogue with authorities and monitor developments to assess exposure to financial risks arising from deforestation.
Mission Investors Exchange
RBC GAM is a member of the Mission Investors Exchange, the leading impact investing network for foundations dedicated to deploying capital for social and environmental change.
Responsible Investment Association
RBC GAM is a sustaining member of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA). The RIA is Canada’s membership association for responsible investment. A member of RBC GAM’s Corporate Governance and Responsible Investment team is the Vice-Chair of the RIA board.
RBC GAM is a proud signatory to the Canadian Investor Statement on Diversity and Inclusion and the Canadian Investor Statement on Climate Change.
Standards Board for Alternative Investments
BlueBay is a member of the Standards Board for Alternative Investments (SBAI). The SBAI aims to help institutional investors and alternative investment managers better understand how responsible investment can be applied in different alternative investment strategies, as well as the specific challenges and questions that arise in these contexts.
US SIF - The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment
RBC GAM is an institutional member of US SIF. US SIF is the leading voice advancing sustainable, responsible and impact investing across all asset classes. Its mission is to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment and the generation of positive social and environmental impacts.
Japanese Stewardship Code
RBC GAM is a signatory to the Japanese Stewardship Code. The Code sets out the principles that institutional investors should adhere to in order to fulfill their stewardship responsibilities to clients, beneficiaries and investee companies.
Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
RBC GAM and BlueBay are supporters of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and commits to producing annual climate-related financial risk disclosures aligned with the recommendations of the TCFD.
UK Stewardship Code
RBC GAM is a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code 2020. The code aims to enhance the quality of engagement between asset managers and companies to help improve long-term risk-adjusted returns to shareholders. RBC GAM’s 2022 Annual Stewardship Report and BlueBay’s 2021 Stewardship Report met the expected standard of reporting of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). RBC GAM’s 2022 Annual Stewardship Report is currently under review by the FRC.*
