Responsible Investment
We aim to offer advisers and their clients sustainable investment choices and challenge companies we invest in to behave more sustainably and responsibly.
STRONG FRAMEWORK
We’ve set out our Responsible Investment and Stewardship Framework, supported by Stewardship and Exclusions polices. They guide our decisions on how we invest, how we select fund managers, and how we challenge the managers of companies we invest in on our customers’ behalf to improve the way they operate.
Read our Responsible Investment and Stewardship Framework (PDF)
Challenging the companies we invest in to make positive changes in their business practices is at the heart of how we manage investments to create sustainable benefits in the long term for our customers, the economy, the environment and society. By doing this, we aim to protect and maximise our customers’ investments in the long term.​
Read our Stewardship Policy (PDF)
We won’t invest in companies that fail to meet our strict standards and we’re selling our investments in the worst offenders in areas like coal production or controversial weapons manufacturing. ​
Extensive research
We’ve carried out independent research to better understand our customers’ views on responsible investment, their priorities and needs, so we’re better able to support them.
ESG - what resonates with pension investors (PDF)
Scottish Widows 2020 Retirement Report - Investing for a responsible future (PDF)
Innovation
We set out to address environmental risks in our investments, as well as offering our customers the potential for better returns. Our solution was to create an innovative climate transition fund, with our investment partner BlackRock, which favours companies making the most progress on lowering their carbon emissions and improving water and waste management. The fund gives our pension savers access to the global stock market but with significantly better climate impact.
OUR PATH TO ACHIEVING NET ZERO IN OUR INVESTMENTS
Climate change has far-reaching implications in all areas of our lives, including our savings and investments. Moving to net zero will safeguard customers’ investments from the risks associated with climate change while taking advantage of related investment opportunities, as well as helping to power the UK’s transition to a green economy.
Scottish Widows Responsible Investment and Stewardship Report
Our first annual Responsible Investment and Stewardship Report outlines the progress we made in 2020 to deliver on our plans to benefit our customers’ investments and broader society.
Responsible Investment Q&A
In this short Q&A, Head of Pension Investments Maria Nazarova-Doyle outlines our apporach to responsible investment.