Plato signed the UNPRI in 2011 after completing significant work in investigating the integration of ESG scores into investment processes in Australia. Plato continues to source new and updated ESG data in order to develop better understanding of the impact of ESG and sustainability issues upon risks and returns in our investment strategies. Plato has also signed up to receive governance issue notifications via the UNPRI clearing house.
To find out more about the UNPRI, please visit their website.
2021 Assessment Report Rating Summary (published August 2022):
- Investment & Stewardship – 82% (4 stars)
- Listed Equity – Active Quantitative Incorporation – 79% (4 stars)
- Listed Equity – Active Quantitative Voting – 62% (3 stars)
Plato is also a member of the Climate Action 100+ group, an investor-led initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. To find out more about Climate Action 100+, please visit their website.
Plato has become a signatory to the Montreal Carbon Pledge, and to this effect has contracted with service providers to provide data to enable Plato to measure and monitor the carbon intensity of our portfolios. For clients who want to lower the carbon intensity of their investment portfolios, Plato can provide lower carbon intensity portfolios than standard market benchmark portfolios. Our research shows that one can considerably reduce the carbon intensity of enhanced index portfolios without significantly impacting other broad portfolio characteristics. This research is available on request.
Montreal Pledge: Plato’s aggregate Carbon Intensity (as measured by MSCI) is 13.2% lower than the exposure of our ASX200/300 benchmarks as at the end of June 2023.
Plato monitor our CO2 exposures continuously and have capabilities to target exposure levels for our clients that wish to have a CO2 reduced investment strategy that also delivers on performance objectives.
Plato is an official supporter of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), focused on improving and increasing the reporting of climate-related financial information. For more information on TCFD, please visit www.fsb-tcfd.org.
Plato is a founding member of ESG Research Australia, which aims to encourage the development and provision of ESG research on listed companies by brokers within Australia.
To find out more about ESG Research Australian, please visit their website.
Plato actively excludes investing in the tobacco industry and is a signatory of the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge. The pledge encourages tobacco-free finance policies as a fundamental step to sustainability with the ultimate aim of bringing an end to the world’s greatest cause of preventable death.
Dr Bronwyn King AO, Founder and CEO at Tobacco Free Portfolios states: “By becoming a Signatory, Plato Investment Management has demonstrated leadership amongst asset managers, who are increasingly striving to align portfolios with positive impacts on people and the planet.”
Find out more about The Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge here.
Plato are a partner of the Evergreen Responsible Investment Grading Index (ERIG Index), an independent grading system developed by Evergreen Consultants that scores managed funds across the responsible investment spectrum, and compares funds to their sector averages.
Find out more about the ERIG Index.
Plato have offset unavoidable emissions to help achieve carbon neutrality. We purchase carbon offsets via Greenfleet, a leading Australian not-for-profit environmental organisation. Our partnership helps further Greenfleet reforestation projects, planting more native biodiverse forests to capture carbon emissions, protect our climate, enhance soil and water quality, and restore habitat for native wildlife.
Find out more about Greenfleet.
Plato actively votes proxies and engages with companies on significant issues such as Woodside’s aborted selective share buyback (paper available on request).
In 2021 Plato Investment Management provided a submission to the Federal Treasury consultation process into “Greater transparency of proxy advice”. Our position, which was commonly expressed amongst the other stakeholders, was that the licensing and rules in place at the time were appropriate and that it did not see a need for additional regulation. We were pleased to see the outcome in the Australian senate on 10-Feb-2022, where the proposed changes were effectively voted down.
For more details on Plato’s proxy voting, designed to act in the best interest of its clients as shareholders, please read Plato’s Proxy Voting Policy.
From time to time Plato conducts research into ESG related factors. ESG related research includes:
