Responsible investment
As a charity, the University of Birmingham has a responsibility — known as fiduciary duty — to manage its finances in support of our objectives of providing world-leading education and research.
This includes how we manage money that has been set aside for investment, so that it can support the University’s work over the short, medium and long term.
Managing investments requires specialist knowledge. These pages explain how our investments work, how responsible investment is built into our approach, and how we oversee the external investment managers who invest on our behalf.
Key questions you’ll find the answer to here
- Does the University invest student tuition fee income in stocks and shares?
- How does the University consider climate change, human rights and other sustainability issues?
- What information does the University publish about responsible investment?
- Who makes the University’s investment decisions?
- How can staff and students provide feedback?
Our investment commitments
The University of Birmingham is committed to maintaining high environmental, social and governance standards across its investment arrangements, while continuing to meet its fiduciary duty.
Alongside our external investment managers, we are signatories to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. These principles support investors to consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues when making investment decisions and when acting as responsible owners of investments.
Our Responsible Investment Policy explains how ESG issues are considered through our investment governance, manager selection, monitoring and stewardship. These issues include climate change, nature-related risks, human rights, labour standards, business ethics and good governance. [Link: Responsible Investment Policy]
We appoint an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) to manage investments on our behalf. This includes considering human rights, good business ethics and employment practices, the environment, climate and biodiversity, and international co-operation.
Who makes our investment decisions
The University of Birmingham’s Council is a trustee of the University’s investment portfolios. This means Council has ultimate responsibility for the proper investment and safekeeping of these funds.
Decision-making committees
The Strategy, Planning and Resources Committee (SPRC) is responsible for governance of the University’s investment portfolios on behalf of Council. It receives regular reports on the activities of the Investment Sub-Committee and has the opportunity to comment. SPRC membership includes student representation from the President of the Guild.
The Investment Sub-Committee (ISC) is established by SPRC to determine the investment strategy and monitor investment performance in support of the University’s objectives.
The Sustainability Steering Group (SSG) reviews the Responsible Investment Policy and provides input and feedback to inform ISC and SPRC. This group includes representatives from across the University, including student representatives.
Have your say on investments
The University welcomes feedback, suggestions and queries about how the Responsible Investment Policy has been applied. Staff and students can submit feedback using our feedback form.
Whilst we cannot respond to each individual submission, we will group feedback and present it to the Investment Sub-Committee for consideration through the responsible investment governance process.
Students can also submit feedback directly to the President of the Guild of Students or approach their local Guild representative. Where possible, feedback should include an evidence-based case.
