Difference between revisions of "Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing"
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| − | The Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing was established as a permanent addition to the University in March 2000. The Committee's purpose is to advise the University Trustees on ethical and social issues that arise in the management of the investments in the University's endowment. | + | The Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing was established as a permanent addition to the University in March 2000. The Committee's purpose is to advise the University Trustees on ethical and social issues that arise in the management of the investments in the University's endowment. It is made up of 12 voting members drawn from students, faculty, and alumni of the University, and two non-voting university officials.<ref>[https://www.finance.columbia.edu/content/about-advisory-committee-social-responsible-investing ACSRI About Us]</ref> |
Its decisions affect the [[Columbia Investment Management Company]] (IMC). | Its decisions affect the [[Columbia Investment Management Company]] (IMC). | ||
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| + | ACSRI reviews proposals (proxies) for corporations that the University has direct holdings in, and "recommend[s] to the University Trustees how to vote on shareholder proposals on several broad social issue categories, including animal welfare; banking; charitable donations; environment, energy and sustainability; equal employment; health and safety; human rights; military and security; and political contributions."<ref>[https://www.finance.columbia.edu/files/gateway/content/ACSRI/Final%202019-2020%20ACSRI%20Annual%20Agenda.pdf 2019-2020 Annual Agenda]</ref> The meeting minutes posted on their website generally record whether the committee supports or rejects proxies. | ||
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| + | ACSRI also considers proposals for divestment from members of the Columbia community (as well as "options for shareholder engagement", e.g. becoming an Investor Signatory to the CDP Climate Change program). Currently, the University has determined to divest from private prison operators, Sudan (Khartoum government), thermal coal, and tobacco. It has rejected [https://www.finance.columbia.edu/files/gateway/content/ACSRI%20Response%20to%20CDCJ%20Petition%20-%20Final%2011.19.15.pdf proposals for a broader divestment from fossil fuels] from [[Columbia Divest for Climate Justice]] as well as a 2018 proposal to divest from the University's indirect holdings in thermal coal. In 2016, the committee created its own proposal for targeted divesting from tar sands based on its "stand up for science" methodology; it seems this did not move forward because the committee decided that creating divestment proposals was out of its scope--rather, it should only consider external proposals. | ||
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| + | ==External Links== | ||
| + | [https://www.finance.columbia.edu/content/socially-responsible-investing ACSRI website] | ||
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| + | [https://www.intentionalendowments.org/columbia_university Intentional Endowments - Columbia] | ||
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| + | [https://cuclimatejustice.wordpress.com/2017/02/28/2017227q7u8dnoeqlqg0yc1bej4yq03ny7q3l/ Columbia Divest for Climate Justice statement] | ||
| + | == References == | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
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[[Category: Committees]] | [[Category: Committees]] | ||
Revision as of 16:04, 25 October 2020
The Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing was established as a permanent addition to the University in March 2000. The Committee's purpose is to advise the University Trustees on ethical and social issues that arise in the management of the investments in the University's endowment. It is made up of 12 voting members drawn from students, faculty, and alumni of the University, and two non-voting university officials.[1]
Its decisions affect the Columbia Investment Management Company (IMC).
ACSRI reviews proposals (proxies) for corporations that the University has direct holdings in, and "recommend[s] to the University Trustees how to vote on shareholder proposals on several broad social issue categories, including animal welfare; banking; charitable donations; environment, energy and sustainability; equal employment; health and safety; human rights; military and security; and political contributions."[2] The meeting minutes posted on their website generally record whether the committee supports or rejects proxies.
ACSRI also considers proposals for divestment from members of the Columbia community (as well as "options for shareholder engagement", e.g. becoming an Investor Signatory to the CDP Climate Change program). Currently, the University has determined to divest from private prison operators, Sudan (Khartoum government), thermal coal, and tobacco. It has rejected proposals for a broader divestment from fossil fuels from Columbia Divest for Climate Justice as well as a 2018 proposal to divest from the University's indirect holdings in thermal coal. In 2016, the committee created its own proposal for targeted divesting from tar sands based on its "stand up for science" methodology; it seems this did not move forward because the committee decided that creating divestment proposals was out of its scope--rather, it should only consider external proposals.
External Links
Intentional Endowments - Columbia
Columbia Divest for Climate Justice statement
