In the first year of the Responsible Business Conduct Agreement on responsible investment by Pension Funds, the participating parties have worked hard to start the process, to get to know each other and to familiarise with each other’s procedures and requirements.
On 12 December 2019, the Toolbox for the Dutch Pension Funds Agreement on Responsible Investment was published in Dutch. Today, the translation of the toolbox becomes available. This Toolbox provides guidance to pension funds for the implementation of the Agreement.
The Monitoring Committee of the Dutch Pension Funds Agreement on Responsible Investment has issued a report indicating the results of the baseline assessment, i.e. the state of affairs at the start of the Agreement. The Steering Committee has responded by publishing an ‘Appreciation’ addressing the recommendations set out in the report.
The first annual meeting of the Dutch Pension Funds Agreement on International Responsible Investment on 10 September 2019 had an interactive character. Pension fund board managers and six NGOs, trade unions and government met in small groups to discuss animal welfare, freedom of association, human rights defenders, controversial weapons and arms trade, children's rights and climate change.
By investing their assets, pension funds can exert influence worldwide, for example in relation to human rights and the environment. In order to exert that influence more efficiently, a better understanding of the risks in the global investment chain and cooperation with local partners are required. 73 Funds, which together represent 1179 billion euros in invested assets, are signing the agreement today for this purpose.
The Dutch pensions sector, the Dutch government, trade unions and NGOs have agreed to work together in the months ahead on an agreement promoting international responsible business conduct (IRBC). In March 2017, the Federation of the Dutch Pension Funds published the Pension Funds IRBC Declaration of Intent indicating its willingness to work towards an IRBC agreement.
