Responsible Investing Charter
This Charter contributes to Pella's values-based guidelines for scenarios we can contemplate today and for scenarios we have not yet envisaged
1.
Fundamentally about sustainability
Responsible Investing guides us towards more sustainable investments by directing investments towards behaviours and activities that provide benefits to the greatest number of stakeholders and are aligned with human nature. The net result is a more sustainable investment approach. To amplify the benefits of this approach Pella focuses on the two parts of Responsible Investing as we seek to minimize exposure to anti-Responsible Investing behaviour while maximising exposure to pro-Responsible Investing behaviour.
2.
Part of a broader process
Pella aims to deliver consistent and sustainable financial returns for the beneficiaries of the funds we manage. Responsible Investing is integral to delivering these returns but delivering on those commitments alone is insufficient and we must combine them with our return targets. Pella strives to ensure that the Responsible Investing mandate is delivered along with the targeted superior financial returns.
3.
Helps deliver superior financial results
Responsible Investing assists Pella to avoid risks, identify opportunities, and maintain a systematic approach to our research, engagement, and reporting. It directs us towards sustainable companies and avoid unsustainable ones, thereby reducing our fund’s structural risks. This approach will also direct our attention to enterprises with strong governance that act in the best interests of all stakeholders. Investing in enterprises with enhanced sustainability and governance will contribute to improved financial results.
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Responsible Investing requirements for systematic investment analysis, engagement and reporting enshrine professional behaviour into everything we do. There will be no short-cuts in our research, we will help guide our investment companies to improved behaviours, and we will reflect on and assess our approach and results via our reporting. Ultimately, these actions are intended to help Pella achieve its goal of delivering consistently superior financial results.
4.
Part of our fiduciary duties
Responsible Investing is part of Pella’s fiduciary duties. This approach reduces the risk of Pella investing in unsustainable practices and ensures investors in our funds are not complicit in harmful activities through their investments. Responsible Investing also requires Pella to act in the best interests of its investors, and other key stakeholders, before its own interests. Further, Pella is required to be active stewards of our investor’s capital and seek behaviour in our investments that are aligned with their shareholders’ interests. Finally, Responsible Investing provides reporting tools and disclosure requirements, which Pella’s investors can use to measure our performance.
6.
It is dynamic
While the core tenets of Responsible Investing are undying, the interpretation and implementation has, and are likely to continue to develop over time. Pella will regularly review its Responsible Investing policies, guidelines, and procedures to ensure they are contemporary and relevant.
5.
Integrated into everything we do
Responsible Investing applies as equally to our behaviour as it does to the requirements for potential investments. Responsible Investing must be integrated throughout our investment process from idea generation, to analysis, decision making, engagement, portfolio construction, and reporting. This will result in Pella being as sustainable as the investments in its funds.
7.
Do as promised
The single most important delivery for a fund manager is to do as promised. Charters, policies, and guidelines are not just words on paper to contemplate and are rather instructions for our behaviour.
Pella’s ultimate key performance measure is our adherence to, and delivery of, the promises we make to our stakeholders. We are, and will continue to be, an organization of our word.