Article on Fiduciary Duties of European Institutional Investors

Andrew Johnston & Paige Morrow recently published an Article entitled, Fiduciary Duties of European Institutional Investors Legal Analysis and Policy Recommendations, U. Oslo Faculty of Law Research (2016). Provided below is an abstract of the Article:

        Pension funds play a linchpin role in Western, capitalist economies by allowing citizens to save for their future, and are generally viewed as fundamental to the stability and long-term orientation of the production system as a whole. It is essential to ensure that there is clarity as to society’s expectations of them. In theory, they have the correct incentives to engage with investee companies to steer them towards the long-term. Yet evidence suggests this is not happening despite escalating soft law interventions.

        Environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks are increasingly seen as financially material, both in positive terms and in negative or defensive terms. Although trustees across the EU are legally permitted to take account of ESG factors in making investment decisions, the law in this area is vague and ill-defined. Furthermore, it appears that many investors are reluctant to factor these risks into their analysis, preferring instead to take a short-term, purely quantitative approach to management of risks across their portfolio.

        Many investors want to take account of ESG risks in their policies and decision-making but are currently being held back by legal uncertainties and (ill-founded) fear of liability. This paper calls for clarification at EU (and national) level of the extent of the discretion available to pension fund trustees so as to enable them to play the role that is expected of them by their beneficiaries and society.