Stewardship and engagement

Engagement with companies and policymakers is a vital part of our role as ethical and sustainable investors. It’s an effective lever to bring about positive social and environmental outcomes.

Engaging at this level also enhances our ability to mitigate sustainability risks, empowering our clients to use their money as a force for good.  

Our active approach to engagement is a core part of our service. It complements our investment analysis and enables us to advocate for positive and lasting change on our clients’ behalf. Our clients feel that our engagement on their behalf allows them to be part of a bigger movement for change.

Voting for change

Over the last 20 years, Greenbank’s engagement with companies on sustainability has led to positive change on a diverse range of issues, from modern slavery to biodiversity and nutrition. Voting at shareholder meetings is an important means of exerting influence with companies on behalf of our clients. Together with the Rathbones Group we actively vote in a manner that allows us to focus our resources where we believe we can make the most difference.

Because we recognise the power of partnerships where appropriate, we will collaborate with Non-Governmental Organisations and other members of the responsible investment community to increase the reach and impact of our engagement activities.

We engage at company-specific and thematic levels, and activity is set in the context of long-term dialogue and ownership. We always aim for open and constructive dialogue, in a spirit of longer-term partnership and support, but we are never reticent in asking searching questions.

We agree objectives and review progress against them each quarter. We can then opt to escalate our discussions and activities if necessary. While we aim to stay invested and make effective use of our shareholder voice and voting rights, divestment is always an option.

Any new insights from our engagement activities are fed directly back into the investment process. Clients receive a regular and detailed summary of the engagement activities that are relevant for their portfolio, and we look for opportunities to represent their views and create positive change on their behalf.

You can read more about the role we are playing in helping to accelerate the transition to net zero.

Rathbone Greenbank Engagement review 2022-23

Insights