Pension pool Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has outlined its voting and engagement priorities for 2022 in its revised responsible investment policies.

The pool’s updated Responsible Investment Policy and the Corporate Governance and Voting Guidelines detailed how it plans to engage with portfolio companies to push for ‘positive change’.

The revised policies aim to clarify Border to Coast’s voting position on issues such as climate change and diversity ahead of the 2022 annual general meeting season.

Included within the policies are four ‘themes’ that aim to shape how the pool, which acts as a steward of £34bn of partner funds’ assets, engages with portfolio companies in recognition of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks.

The four themes are low-carbon transition, waste and water management, social inclusion and labour management, and diversity of thought.

Commenting on the updates policies, Border to Coast head of responsible investment, Jane Firth, said: “Responsible investment and sustainability are central to Border to Coast’s ethos and a key part of delivering our partner funds’ objectives.

“Now, more than three years since our founding, it is important that we continue to evolve and update our approach to engagement, including our priority themes, to ensure we continue to work effectively as an active owner.

“Our engagement themes support us in focusing our efforts on areas we can have a real impact. Alongside this we have strengthened our voting guidelines on issues such as climate change and diversity where we expect greater progress to have been made.

“We know that we are stronger when we work together, collaborating with other institutional investors and partner organisations such as Robeco to make our voice heard.

“By continually evolving our approach to responsible investment we can ensure we make a difference both in the wider world, as well as for our partner funds in the Local Government Pension Scheme.”

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