USS's service providers include but are not limited to the following: MSCI, BoardEx, Manifest, EIRIS, ECGS, Glass Lewis, Bloomberg and Trucost. The scheme also uses sell side research from major broking houses and smaller boutique research providers. For issue specific research and analysis USS also utilises organisations such as the Carbon Disclosure Project (Climate Change), Innovation Forum (Supply Chain Management), Impact Limited (Modern Slavery), Business Benchmark for Farm Animal Welfare (Supply Chain Management), EIRIS, Business-Human Rights.Org (Human Rights) and analysis produced by NGO’s such as WWF, Greenpeace, Oxfam, Share Action, Changing Markets, China Labour Watch, China Water Risk, SCRIPT and SPOTT. Issue specific research and ratings provided by civil society are useful. We are always looking for additional sources of material.
The advantage of having in-house resource is that USS can also undertake its own research. Research is also supplemented by information gained via engagement with companies. Information from such engagements is also passed to portfolio managers ensuring they have a broader range of information to help make better investment decisions.
USS's integrated approach to engagement means that the scheme fulfils Principle 2 (active ownership) and Principle 1 (integration of RI into investment decision making processes).