ANZ Investments joins global responsible investment network

ANZ New Zealand Investments (ANZ Investments) announced that it has signed the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

The PRI is a set of principles designed to provide a global benchmark for responsible investing.

"ANZ Investments is committed to responsible investing because we believe it is in the best long-term interests of our investors and society too," says ANZ wealth managing director Craig Mulholland.

Signing the PRI is a step in ANZ Investment's ongoing commitment to responsible investing.

As a signatory to the PRI, ANZ Investments is now part of an international network of investors working together to develop a more sustainable financial system.

More than 1750 parties from 50 countries have signed up to the principles, which include:

• Incorporating Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into investment analysis and decision- making processes.
• Being active owners and incorporating ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
• Seeking appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
• Promoting acceptance and implementation of the principles within the investment industry.
• Working together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the principles.
• Reporting on our activities and progress towards implementing the principles.

ANZ Investments does not invest in companies that are involved in manufacturing controversial weapons (including cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines), manufacturing or testing nuclear weapons, or manufacturing tobacco products.

These exclusions apply across all our funds, including the new international equities fund launched last year which the ANZ Default KiwiSaver Scheme invests into.

"We believe we have a duty to act in the best long-term interests of our investors, and that it is possible to do this in a way that also aligns our investment funds with the broader objectives of society," says Mulholland.

"We recognise that investor attitudes to responsible investing continue to evolve so we need to ensure we remain in touch with international trends and best practice in this area.