Responsible investing

Our Responsible Investing Framework

Responsible investing is a spectrum—and there are no universally accepted classifications.

Our intention is to always promote consistent, comparable, and reliable information for investors. The spectrum, like our framework, will continue to evolve to reflect new solutions and innovations that enter the investment industry.

To provide clarity and insight on how we view responsible investing, we have classified the current investment approaches available across the industry into the categories below. 

A chart depicting Sun Life Global Investments’ Responsible Investing spectrum. The chart defines and compares six different responsible investment approaches: Ethical (values-based) screening, ESG integration, ESG negative screening, ESG positive screening, sustainability-focused, and impact first investing. The first five categories have a primary objective of achieving competitive returns. The last two (sustainability-focused and impact first) have a primary objective of societal and environmental impact—which means that sustainability-focused investing overlaps and has two equally important primary objectives. In addition to each category within the spectrum, it is important to consider whether an investment manager is an active steward and engages with sub-advisors and/or underlying companies to influence ESG policy. You should also consider whether they have an explicit net zero glidepath embedded in their strategy.

Our approach to responsible investing

ESG integration

As a manager of managers, we believe that ESG considerations need to be integrated into each individual investment process to effectively support overall value generation and risk management.

Read the Q&A

Sustainability-focused solution

A large proportion of sustainable opportunities are for the provision of clean water, energy and food; discover Sun Life KBI Sustainable Infrastructure—a strategy focused on capitalizing on these opportunities.

Learn more about this Fund

Principles of responsible investing (PRI)

We are a signatory to the PRI as an asset manager, and as such we are bound to the six core principles for responsible investment:

Incorporate ESG factors into our investment analysis and decision-making processes.

Be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.

Seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues from the sub-advisors as well as corporations in which we invest.

Promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles across the industry.

Work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.

Report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

Looking for more?

Climate change affects us all

The warming of the planet affects us all, but the impact is not always observable or uniformly distributed. However, there are solutions that will allow us to build cleaner, more resilient economies.

Learn how

An ESG lens to oversight

Adelina Romenelli, Director, Reponsible Investing, discusses how to assess a fund manager's commitment to ESG.

Learn how

Be the change. Invest better.

You can bring purpose to your portfolio with sustainable infrastructure investing.

Find out how