We screen all investments under our Ethical Charter, including investments made through external managers. This includes investment in externally managed property and private equity. We assess an external manager's investment strategy and authorised investment criteria, as well as the capacity of the fund manager to take into account impacts on people, animals and the environment in their selection and management of investments. For our current investments in externally managed private equity funds, we review individual investments proposed by the funds for alignment with our Ethical Charter, and we have an option not to participate in investments which we assess not to be aligned. Our ongoing engagement with and monitoring of external managers and their sustainability reporting includes:
- the alignment of investments selected by the manager with our Ethical Charter
- for property managers, the action they are taking to set targets and metrics related to the carbon footprint of the properties they invest in, as well other environmental impacts of the properties
- the way in which the manager selects and engages with the companies they invest in to promote the interests of people, animals and the environment and to minimise harm to them.