Responsible investing – more than a catchphrase
Responsible investing is more than a catchphrase to us. It’s a philosophy that underpins all that we do, reaching beyond our investment approach and ingrained in our day-to-day business operations. And we’ve been integrating the assessment of environmental, social and governance factors for years. Suzanne Branton, our Chief Investment Officer, believes these factors can impact investment risks and returns and contribute to our ability to deliver sustainable growth for the benefit of our members.
We consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors during investment selection
As an Industry SuperFund, CareSuper’s responsibility is to invest in our members’ best interests. We believe that incorporating ESG factors can minimise investment risk, maximise long-term returns, and contribute to delivering sustainable growth for the benefit of our members. That’s why our investment managers incorporate ESG factors in their decision-making across all our investment options, and not just those with a specialised ESG focus.
Our investment options include our award-winning Sustainable Balanced option (it won Lonsec's overall Investment Option 2021 award) that not only meets our ESG criteria, but also has specific investments that drive positive change towards a more sustainable and inclusive world. This has helped us receive a Rainmaker Information’s ESG Leader Rating for 2022 and 2023.
Achieving the ESG Leader rating is a testament to our commitment to incorporating ESG factors in our investment program and our day-to-day business operations and we’re proud to have received this rating for the second consecutive year since its inception.
We’re committed to net zero
CareSuper has been a sustainable investor for many years, and in March 2023 we released our Roadmap to Net Zero by 2050.
The Roadmap, which forms part of our ongoing responsible investment program, is designed to manage climate-related investment risks and opportunities to deliver members strong long-term returns.
Read more about our commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions across our investment portfolio by 2050.
We help influence positive corporate behaviour
Owning shares in many different companies gives us a ‘seat at the table’. We can help influence how companies are managed, help drive improved ESG practices and support positive corporate behaviour. By exercising our voting rights on a range of different resolutions at companies’ annual general meetings, we aim to maximise value for CareSuper members over the long term and to promote responsible corporate behaviour. See our Proxy Voting Policy for more.
We’re identifying modern slavery risks
Believe it or not, modern slavery is still prevalent in today’s markets and is a significant risk that organisations must manage. Our Modern Slavery Statement addresses how we’re complying with the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (the Act) and the actions we’re taking to assess and address the risks of modern slavery in our operational and investment supply chains.
We’re a certified carbon neutral fund
Our operational footprint is small, but we’re always looking for ways to reduce our use of resources and minimise waste. In 2020 we became one of the first certified carbon neutral super funds by the Australian Government through the Climate Active network — Australia’s collective initiative for climate action. Being carbon neutral means we’ve reduced our operational carbon footprint to zero, by removing as much carbon from the atmosphere as we put into it.
We achieved this by implementing carbon neutral initiatives across our day-to-day operations. This includes improving energy efficiencies in our offices, such as recycling and waste management, and encouraging our members to opt-into digital communications instead of receiving printed copies.
CareSuper is a future-focused fund – we understand how our actions today can impact the broader environmental, social, and economic conditions of future generations.