ACCESS appoints ESG support

The ACCESS pool has appointed European independent stewardship support service, Minerva Analytics, to support the development of its responsible investment approach.

Minerva Analytics will be helping ACCESS with a comprehensive review and revision of the pool’s responsible investment guidelines to ensure they capture the very latest thinking on Environmental Social and Governance (ESG), stewardship, and climate change issues.

Through workshops and a programme of in-depth research, Minerva’s team will establish a baseline on a wide range of ESG and responsible investment issues across the full range of asset classes for the pool.

The ACCESS Joint Committee will use Minerva’s analysis and recommendations to inform their future actions and to meet the requirements and ambitions of Authorities within the pool.

Councillor Mark Kemp-Gee, chairman of the ACCESS Joint Committee, said: “Our objective is to develop a best-in-class investment offer for our LGPS Authorities, and a significant part of that process is ensuring responsible investment practices are well informed and effectively deployed.”

“This collaboration with Minerva will give us the tools and data to help fulfil long-term responsibilities to the schemes and their members,” he added.