F&C Group, the formerly London-listed fund manager now owned by Canada’s BMO Global Asset Management, has ramped up its ethical investing offering with the creation of a responsible investment advisory council.
President of this new body is Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Welby has already served as chair of F&C’s committee of reference, which advised the F&C responsible funds range until the end of 2014.
“My role and that of the Council’s is to ensure the responsible investment fund range remains true to the spirit of its underlying principles,” says Welby.
Howard Pearce is chair of the council and between 2003 and 2013 he was the head of pension fund management at the Environment Agency Pension Fund and an advisor to its pensions and investment committees.
Other members include Rosey Hurst, who joins the council as an expert in labour standards, Annemieke Wijn, a pioneer for sustainable sourcing standards, and Ylva Lindberg, a member of the council on ethics for the Norwegian Pension Fund.
Richard Wilson, chief executive of F&C, says: “Together they bring international experience and in-depth understanding of emerging environmental, social and ethical issues.”
Barry McInerney, the co-CEO of BMO Global Asset Management, told Funds Europe last year he expected the younger generation to invest more in funds that referenced environmental, social and governance issues.
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