EQ Investors (EQ), the B Corp wealth manager, has published its 2023 Positive Impact report.
Now in its seventh edition, the report brings to life the social and environmental impacts associated with the investments and engagements made on behalf of clients in the EQ Positive Impact strategy.
Positive Impact approach:
The EQ Positive Impact strategy invests in solutions to social and environmental problems and actively engages for change towards a more sustainable world. This investment strategy has a dual focus on maximising both impact and financial returns.
Shifting the dials: UN Sustainable Development Goals:
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) comprise a series of seventeen sets of targets across a range of issues to be met by the world’s economies by 2030.
With less than a decade left to accomplish these demanding targets, the ambition of the strategy to demonstrate that investors can make positive impact through their investments has never been more important.
As in previous years, the report establishes a ‘theory of change’ for all solution companies, linking their core products and services to their impact on an SDG. Their contributions are then measured along this chain of results.
Innovation in reporting:
EQ’s reporting expands again this year, to include its new active stewardship strategy. Its aim is to ensure that EQ maximises its influence in shaping the behaviour of the companies it invests in on behalf of clients and to lift ambitions across the investment industry.
Also included within the report are the outcomes of EQ’s engagements, AGM activism and industry collaborations, tracking the impact that the strategy makes through engagement.
Impact themes:
The report examines five investment themes, covering shared global challenges:
- Investing in health and well-being
- Investing in social inclusion
- Investing in natural capital
- Investing in sustainable communities
- Investing for the climate.
Each theme includes company examples, global progress indicators for the relevant SDG, and engagement case studies.
Louisiana Salge, Head of Sustainability at EQ Investors said: “With the release of our seventh positive impact report, we are excited to share the stories and numbers that highlight our commitment to investing in purpose-driven solutions for people and planet.
“We continue to focus on our responsibilities as stewards of our clients’ capital during these turbulent times, showcasing specific examples of engagements with our portfolio companies and industry stakeholders from the past year.
“2023 marks the halfway point to achieving the SDGs. We recognise that there is still a lot of work to be done as we strive for a more sustainable and equitable world.”
Featured Photo by Amy Hirschi on Unsplash.