Aviva Investors to hold investee companies to account on biodiversity and human rights in 2022

CEO letter sets out sustainability expectations

Aviva Investors will hold investee companies accountable to a wider definition of sustainability in 2022, with companies set to be judged against expectations on biodiversity and human rights, as much as climate and executive pay.

In his annual letter to chairs, Aviva Investors CEO Mark Versey wrote that it will evaluate companies "on the strength of their commitments and their ability to demonstrate progress over time". However, he added that the £262bn asset manager will hold boards and individual directors accountable "where the pace of change does not reflect the urgency required" and that in cases where companies "consistently fail to meet its requirements", it will divest. Versey said: "We want to encourage companies to consider the whole picture of sustainability because this is how they will create the ...