Public policy sets the rules of the game. Public policy critically affects the ability of long-term investors to generate sustainable returns and create value. Public policy also affects the sustainability and stability of financial markets, as well as social, environmental and economic systems.
Policy engagement by long-term investors is, therefore, a natural and necessary extension of an investor’s responsibilities and fiduciary duties to the interests of beneficiaries.
The importance of public policy for long-term investors has grown in recent years, due to factors such as legislative reform of the financial sector in the wake of the global financial crisis, governmental need for investors as a source of long-term finance, and the increasing impact of environmental, social and governance factors on the ability of investors to deliver long-term returns.
By signing the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment, 1300 finance sector institutions, with a total US$45 trillion of assets1 under management, have committed to identifying and removing “obstacles to a sustainable financial system that lie within market practices, structures and regulation”.2 This commitment is part of a growing global momentum identified by the UNEP Inquiry that links financial reform and sustainability.
Despite this commitment, many PRI signatories are not yet actively engaging with policymakers, due to scepticism about whether public policy engagement will make a difference, a lack of understanding regarding how to influence policy processes, and concern about the costs and timeframes involved in public policy engagement.
Policy Framework for Long-term Responsible Investment: The case for investor engagement in public policy challenges these assumptions and concerns, with five examples – from the USA, France, South Africa, Japan and the EU – of how long-term investors have engaged with and influenced public policy.