Investors put air pollution on the agenda with global consultation

CCLA Investment Management and Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation have teamed up to launch a consultation aimed at driving investor action to tackle corporate air pollution.

The consultation, which has a global scope, aims to bring together insights from investors, companies, NGOs and academics to produce recommendations for corporate action on air pollution. It closes on 17 December, after that, the organisers will compile responses to produce recommendations for corporate action on air pollution.

CCLA and Guy’s *St Thomas Foundation have proposed among others the introduction of a corporate benchmark aimed at creating transparent comparisons of companies’ management of air pollution, alongside a structured investor engagement initiative and a collective policy engagement effort.

Companies are major contributors to air pollution, with the burden of long-term exposure to air pollution having the effect equivalent to up to 43,000 adult deaths a year in the UK and globally 11.3%.

The initiative will initially focus on companies involved in on-road transport and where there is significant scope to take action to reduce emissions.

Amy Browne, director of stewardship at CCLA, said: “As responsible stewards of our clients’ capital, we have a duty to encourage investee companies to minimise their negative impacts on people and the environment.”

Matt Lomas, engagement director—investment, at Guy’s & St Thomas’ Foundation’s endowment, said: “Alongside CCLA we are calling on investors and businesses to come together to put air pollution on their sustainability agendas. We believe that via collaboration we can take meaningful action, and in doing so, have a significant positive impact for people and planet as well as business resilience.”