In June 2020, Queen's University became a founding signatory on a charter that commits Canadian universities to responsible investing for the environment.
Investing in Tomorrow
From Our Principal
“Universities have a unique and critical role to play in the fight against climate change. As researchers and educators, we produce and disseminate knowledge about both the current state of our environment and efforts to change a potentially disastrous trajectory. Looking to the future, we must consider decisions that help transition our society to a low-carbon economy. Embracing the principles of this Charter helps articulate how the university will address climate change and the responsibility we will take in ensuring a healthy environment for the future.”
Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane
Charter Commitments
- Adopt a responsible investing framework to guide investment decision-making, in line with recognized standards such as the UN-supported Principles of Responsible Investment (UN-PRI).
- Regularly measure the carbon intensity of our investment portfolios, and set meaningful targets for their reduction over time.
- Evaluate progress towards these objectives on a regular basis, and share the results of such assessments publicly.
- Ensure that the performance evaluation of our investment managers takes into account their success in achieving such objectives, alongside the other criteria for assessing their performance.
Queen's Climate Change Action Task Force
In 2019, the Board of Trustees struck the Climate Change Action Task Force (CCATF) to develop strategic recommendations for managing Queen's investments in alignment with sustainable development goals.
In March 2022, the Board of Trustees approved the Investment Committee's final recommendations.