Trustees and consultants commit to working together on sustainability
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The Investment Consultants Sustainability Working Group and the Trustee Sustainability Working Group have committed to working together more closely this year, to drive sustainability in pensions and investments.
The groups believe trustees and advisers encounter many of the same sustainability challenges and that greater alignment could lead to “more practical and impactful action”.
The consultants’ group focuses on three areas, which are:
- to build shared understanding of sustainability issues;
- to strengthen climate and biodiversity insights; and
- to support a more aligned approach to stewardship.
Its Influence workstream will continue to engage policymakers and regulators “to help shape a more effective sustainability framework”, the groups noted.
Meanwhile, the TSWG is focused on trustee-led action. Its priorities include:
- proportional and purposeful sustainability reporting;
- narrowing the perception gap around sustainable investment; and
- developing scalable solutions for schemes of all sizes.
The two groups plan to meet quarterly to share progress, support each other’s objectives and identify areas for joint action, saying a closer working relationship is “an important step towards a more coordinated, effective approach” to sustainability in pensions and investment.
Bobby Riddaway, who chairs the Trustee Sustainability Working Group, said: “This collaboration is ultimately about improving outcomes for pension scheme members. By aligning expertise, strengthening stewardship, and promoting scalable solutions, the ICSWG and TSWG can aim to ensure that sustainability is embedded in a way that is both practical and impactful. This can support long-term financial resilience while contributing to broader environmental and societal goals.”
Simon Jones, co-chair of the Investment Consultants Sustainability Working Group, added: “The ICSWG and TSWG share a common goal: to promote consistent and practical approaches to sustainability. By coordinating our efforts and sharing insight on what works, we can drive improvements in the consideration of sustainability by trustees and advisers.”
ICSWG started in 2020; its website lists 18 companies as members, including the big three pension consultancies, the main second tier firms and asset and fiduciary managers. TSWG was launched in late 2024 and currently has 13 professional and member-nominated trustee members.
