In response to growing public interest in the financial practices of Canadian universities, Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is sharing details of its investments on its website. Starting immediately, TRU will post PDFs outlining its investments to demonstrate its commitment to socially responsible investing.
The link to the web page with this year's investment statements can be found in the sidebar menu of the Vice-President of Administration and Finance's web page: https://www.tru.ca/vpadmin.html. The statements are redacted to remove some information for privacy reasons; however, the funds TRU holds in its portfolios and their values are detailed.
Matt Milovick, TRU Vice-President of Finance and Administration, said that this is an essential step to demonstrate transparency regarding investments. He noted that TRU has long been committed to socially responsible investing guided by the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).
The UN's PRI, launched in 2006 in collaboration with the financial sector, provides a framework for investors to integrate environmental, social and governance factors into their decision making.
This commitment is outlined in TRU's Investment Objectives Policy (BRD-22), and is also consistent with the reporting required for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), Milovick said.
He said a review of TRU's investments shows that the funds in its portfolio align with the UN's PRI. However, he noted that many of the funds comprise hundreds of individual stocks that can change regularly, such as in pooled funds or exchange-traded funds.
"Fund managers frequently adjust a fund's holdings to achieve optimal returns. Regardless, TRU expects fund managers to apply the UN PRI screens as they consider a fund's holdings. We will continue to work with our investment teams to ensure they apply the UN PRI principles appropriately."
Milovick added that TRU will update its investment web page annually so that interested parties can follow and track investments over time.
"We are committed to acting responsibly and supporting investments that promote environmental, social, and governance values that align with the expectations of our Board of Governors, as well as those of all Canadians.
"We expect our investments to support the making of a better world. It's at the core of TRU's mission," he said.
