Report

How responsible investors should respond to the covid-19 coronavirus crisis

In this report, UN PRI states that signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment can and should respond to the crisis – by using their influence with companies and governments, and through their investment decisions. They should be supporting sustainable companies through this crisis – in the interests of public health and long-term economic performance – even if that limits short-term returns.

Key points

To this end, UN PRI promotes 7 actions:

Action 1: Engage companies that are failing in their crisis management
Action 2: Engage where other harm is being hidden behind, or worsened by, the crisis
Action 3: Deprioritise engagement on other topics
Action 4: Publicly support an economy-wide response
Action 5: Participate in virtual AGMs
Action 6: Be receptive to requests for financial support
Action 7: Maintain a long-term focus in investment decision making