Our 2022 Stewardship Report demonstrates our active ownership activities as a responsible steward of client capital, during a year that saw much market volatility and geopolitical risk.
Since the original publication of our report in April 2023, we are pleased to announce we have successful renewed our signatory status to the UK Stewardship Code 2020, while also becoming a signatory to both the Japan and Taiwan stewardship codes.
For our company, 2022 was a year of advancement. The acquisition and integration of the business formerly known as BMO GAM (EMEA) enabled us to combine complementary strengths to create a responsible investment capability based on creating value through research intensity, driving real-world change through active ownership to contribute to sustainable long-term value creation aligned with our clients’ expectations, and partnering with clients to deliver innovative responsible investment solutions.
Examples include the consolidation of responsible investment (RI) leadership into one global role, with Claudia Wearmouth as our Global Head of Responsible Investment, as well as the appointment of a Head of Responsible Investment Implementation to support our strategic ambition to further enhance our responsible investment capability across the firm.
Now, more than 40 RI analysts work to support our clients, investment professionals and our wider business through their expertise in ESG thematic research, ESG integration, ESG policy, client reporting and thought leadership. Twenty of these analysts focus on engagement and voting, a key strength of our responsible investment offering.
Going forward, we remain committed to continue investing in our ability to serve evolving stakeholder expectations in our role as responsible stewards of capital.