British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI) announced the release of its updated ESG strategy, describing the firm’s ESG beliefs, principles, and governance, and how its overall investment strategies take sustainability factors into account across the corporation.

With over $150 billion of managed assets, BCI provides investment management services to British Columbia’s public sector. According to BCI, long-term sustainability is the driving force behind the firm’s investment approach. The strategy highlights the investment manager’s belief that companies that employ robust ESG practices are in a better position to generate long-term value.

BCI’s ESG strategy consists of four key components: Integrate, Influence, Invest, and Insight. The company details each component as follows:

• Integrate. We integrate ESG analysis and risk management in all investment processes, from supporting clients’ asset allocation decisions to individual investment decisions within our portfolios.
• Influence. Through engagement and advocacy, we apply our influence on companies in which we invest, our partners and other participants in capital markets.
• Invest. We actively seek opportunities to invest in ESG-themed investments that contribute to improved long-term outcomes for clients and reinforce our investment beliefs.
• Insight. We use our learnings across all ESG activities, as well as our understanding of emerging trends, to generate insights that help us continuously adapt and improve our strategies, processes, and approaches.

Introducing the new strategy, Jennifer Coulson, BCI Vice President, ESG, Public Markets, said:

“Our updated ESG Strategy marks the culmination of a collaborative effort across the corporation and builds upon BCI’s long-standing commitment to ESG.

“It strengthens our approach to mitigating the long-term risks and opportunities that ESG matters present as part of the prudent investment management of our clients’ funds.”