Which firms rank best in responsible investment?

Campaign group ShareAction has ranked 75 of the world’s largest asset managers according to their responsible investment practices, as sustainability becomes an increasingly important theme in the funds industry.

Dutch-based Robeco came in first, leading the industry in a number of responsible investment themes, including biodiversity and human rights. Overall, fund houses based in the Netherlands dominated the top of the ranking.

The survey rated firms based on disclosure and management of ESG risks and impacts across their portfolios.

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According to ShareAction, there are “huge differences” between regional markets, and many asset managers are still failing to translate public commitments into action on stewardship and ESG integration.

Many US asset managers – including the likes of Vanguard, JP Morgan Asset Management, and Fidelity Investments – ranked poorly in the research.

Felix Nagrawala, senior analyst at ShareAction, said: “While many in the industry are eager to promote their ESG credentials, our analysis clearly indicates that few of the world’s largest asset managers can lay claim to having a truly sustainable approach across all their investments.”

He pointed out that some asset managers, including Robeco, are demonstrating “real leadership” and are a positive exception to the overall theme that many fund houses are still lagging in the responsible investment field.

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“We hope that Robeco’s approach and scores serve as a good example for the sector, and that other asset managers follow suit,” Nagrawala added.

Carola van Lamoen, head of active ownership at Robeco, said: “We hope this ranking will propel the industry into action as we continue to play our role in educating and sharing best practices.”

The top ten firms in the ranking are as follows: