Manulife Investment Management: Best ESG Team North America 2019

For Manulife Investment Management, environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis and integration are not merely an aspirational policy – they are seamlessly part of the daily practices of the firms’ global investment teams. The firm operates as the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation, providing investment solutions to clients across its institutional, retail and retirement businesses globally. As a signatory to the PRI since 2015 – the world’s leading international network for the promotion of responsible investment – Manulife Investment Management strives to implement a best-in-class ESG integration program for an organization of its size and boutique investment approach. The improvement in its PRI assessment each year (A to A+ across all reported categories in 2019) reflects the innovations of the ESG team and global efforts of the global investment teams. Active and responsible stewardship is a core component of Manulife Investment Management’s sustainable and responsible investing agenda. This means intentional effort is placed on seeking to catalyse long-term sustainable business strategies and operational excellence among investee companies.

Manulife Investment Management pursues ongoing innovation in sustainable and responsible investment. As part of this, the ESG team has embraced the Sustainable Development Goals as an emerging framework for sustainable investment solutions which aim to contribute to positive environmental and social outcomes. Manulife Investment Management collaborated with its group affiliate, John Hancock Digital Advice, to launch the digital advisor platform COIN. The COIN offering attracts “conscious investors”, even those with no investment experience or knowledge, as it empowers the individual to align their capital with SDG thematic areas of their choice.

Manulife Investment Management has been lauded for its exemplary SDG leadership and its comprehensive contribution to ESG accountability and transparency throughout the industry. The CFI.co judging panel declares Manulife Investment Management the winner of the 2019 award for Best ESG Team, Investment Management, North America.