Partnering for impact: institutional investors and the net-zero transition

AS INSTITUTIONAL investors, we have a fiduciary duty to act in our beneficiaries’ best interests and earn sufficient investment returns to meet their expectations. To achieve this, we need to ensure there are stable financial, social and environmental systems on which to build those returns.

At Canada-based University Pension Plan (UPP), we believe promoting healthy systems goes hand in hand with our fiduciary duty to our members. That’s why when we developed our response to climate change and our net-zero approach, we set our sights beyond our own portfolio. We know that emissions must also decline in the real world, and that a well-managed, low-carbon transition requires systemic change from all corners of the global economy.

The net-zero transition presents opportunities for investors – institutional and otherwise – to build confidence, resilience and competitiveness in the wider economy through profitably financing activities that support sustainable solutions and lower emissions.