Press Release

University Pension Plan teams up with SHARE to advance ESG agenda through engagement

July 7, 2021 – The University Pension Plan (UPP) has selected SHARE as an engagement provider. Through SHARE, the Plan will engage public companies in its investment portfolios on an ambitious agenda to advance climate action, reconciliation and human rights.

The Plan will join the University Network for Investor Engagement (UNIE), a climate-focused collaborative engagement initiative with some of Canada’s most prominent universities, including University of Toronto, McGill University and University of Victoria. UPP will also participate in SHARE’s broader engagement program to address a full spectrum of environmental, social and governance issues in Canadian, U.S., and global equities.

“By working with SHARE, the University Pension Plan is extending the reach and impact of its responsible investment strategy.” says Anthony Schein, Director of Shareholder Advocacy at SHARE.  “The Plan, its participating universities and its beneficiaries will make a powerful contribution to the growing movement of investors working to build a sustainable, inclusive and productive economy.”

“When developing our approach to responsible investing at UPP, SHARE was an obvious partner for engagement. SHARE’s engagement is both ambitious and practical,” said Brian Minns, UPP’s Managing Director for Responsible Investing, “SHARE’s reputation as innovative and tenacious is well-earned. We look forward to working with SHARE to address the climate crisis, advance reconciliation with Indigenous people, and promote human rights and decent work at home and through the supply chain.”

 

About the University Pension Plan
The University Pension Plan is a new jointly sponsored defined benefit pension plan (JSPP). The Plan becomes operational on July 1, 2021, and at that time its investments are expected to be valued at $10.5 billion. The Plan is bringing together the pension plans of Queen’s University, the University of Guelph and the University of Toronto and Trent University in January 2022.

About SHARE
SHARE is a Canadian leader in responsible investment services, research and education for institutional investors and shareholder engagement, proxy advisory and consulting services, education and timely research that help investors integrate environmental, social and governance issues in the investment management process.

For more information, please contact:

Amanda Watkins, Communications Coordinator, SHARE
Telephone: 416-306-2255
awatkins@share.ca

UPP PRESS CONTACT

Kelly Conlon
media@universitypension.ca

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