In Principle Good: The Principles for Responsible Investment

Abstract

More than 1,200 institutional investors, asset managers and financial institutions have committed themselves by recognising the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) to integrate sustainability criteria into their investment. Together they manage more than US$30 trillion, representing a share of around 45 % of global investments. A success story, then? This chapter gives an overview of the aims and development of the PRI, introduces the contents of the six principles and highlights the opportunities and risks of signing the PRI for investors and asset managers. The updating of the success story requires—according to the authors—a dual strategy: outreach and enlarging the membership and opinion leaders supporting responsible investments and, at the same time, going deeper—focusing on improving the quality of implementation of the PRI by the signatories in addition to further expansion. The chapter is a starting point for the development of the PRI and concentrates on evolution and development of the PRI in terms of ‘broadening and deepening’.