TORONTO, Aug. 27, 2015 /CNW/ - RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) today announced that it has become a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI).1 The UN PRI is recognized as the leading global network for investors who are committed to integrating environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) considerations into their investment practices and ownership policies.
"While ESG integration is not new to our investment process, adopting the UN PRI further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to responsible investing," said Dan Chornous, chief investment officer of RBC GAM. "As investment managers, we have a fiduciary duty to explore all factors that could potentially impact the performance of companies in which we invest. Implementing the principles of the UN PRI across all our investment classes and ensuring our teams are sufficiently resourced to deliver on that promise is consistent with our primary focus on maximizing returns for our clients."
RBC GAM's Corporate Governance & Responsible Investment (CGRI) group is responsible for managing and coordinating responsible investment activities, which include integrating ESG considerations across all its investment classes, proxy voting in accordance with internally developed principles, engagement with investee companies and collaboration with other like-minded investors.
"Our approach to responsible investment is anchored by the knowledge that our clients have entrusted us to help them secure a better financial future for themselves or their beneficiaries," said Judy Cotte, vice-president and head of RBC GAM's CGRI group. "We believe that our role as an active, engaged and responsible owner allows us to enhance the long-term, sustainable performance of our investment solutions."
RBC GAM has a long history of acting as an engaged asset manager. In addition to becoming a signatory of the UN PRI, RBC GAM is a founding member of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (CCGG) and Mr. Chornous has been the board chair since 2011. RBC GAM is also a Sustaining Member of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA), a non-profit organization committed to advancing the use of ESG criteria in Canada's investment industry, and is a member of the International Corporate Governance Network and the Council of Institutional Investors.
For more information on RBC GAM and its commitment to responsible investing, please visit www.rbcgam.com.
About RBC Global Asset Management and RBC Wealth Management
RBC Global Asset Management (RBC GAM) is the asset management division of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and includes institutional money managers BlueBay Asset Management and Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management. RBC GAM is a provider of global investment management services and solutions to individual, high-net-worth and institutional investors through mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, hedge funds, pooled funds, separate accounts and specialty investment strategies. RBC GAM group of companies manage more than $385 billion and have approximately 1,300 employees located across Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.
RBC GAM is part of RBC Wealth Management, which is one of the world's top five largest wealth managers*. RBC Wealth Management directly serves affluent, high-net-worth and ultra-high net worth clients globally with a full suite of banking, investment, trust and other wealth management solutions, from our key operational hubs in Canada, the United States, the British Isles, and Asia. The business also provides asset management products and services directly and through RBC and third party distributors to institutional and individual clients, through its RBC GAM business.
RBC Wealth Management has more than C$778 billion of assets under administration, more than C$503 billion of assets under management and approximately 4,050 financial consultants, advisors, private bankers, and trust officers. For more information, please visit www.rbcwealthmanagement.com.
*Scorpio Partnership Global Private Banking KPI Benchmark 2015. In the United States, securities are offered through RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.
About Royal Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We employ approximately 79,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 38 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.
RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, the DJSI North American Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Index. RBC is one of Canada's Greenest Employers, and one of Canada's 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations. Learn more at www.rbc.com/community-sustainability.
RBC supports a broad range of community initiatives through donations, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2014, we contributed more than $111 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $76 million and $35 million in sponsorships.
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1 RBC Global Asset Management has signed the UN PRI on behalf of a number of its affiliated entities including RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (including Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management), RBC Global Asset Management (U.S.) Inc., RBC Alternative Asset Management Inc., RBC Global Asset Management (UK) Limited and the asset management division of RBC Investment Management (Asia) Limited. Its affiliate BlueBay Asset Management LLP is already a signatory to the UN PRI.
SOURCE RBC
Leah Commisso, RBC GAM Corporate Communications, 416-955-6498
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