UVIMCO is dedicated to investor responsibility as an organization and investors. Responsible investing is incorporated into UVIMCO’s investment strategy by our leadership team and staff. We consider all risks that could impact the performance of UVIMCO’s portfolio, including environmental, social, and governance risks. UVIMCO promotes ESG integration across its portfolio and with its investment managers and is committed to aligning with a net-zero future by 2050.
In March 2022, UVIMCO announced its Investor Responsibility Framework that was developed by the Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility, a group of UVIMCO representatives and UVA students, faculty, staff, and alumni tasked with advising UVIMCO on incorporating environmental, social, and governance factors into its investment decisions. The framework will serve as a guide for UVIMCO’s approach to responsible investing and is grounded in the following core initiatives:
UVIMCO is dedicated to incorporating environmental, social, and governance best practices into its investment decisions while maintaining strong long-term returns for the University of Virginia and associated organizations.
UVIMCO is committed to transitioning the University’s endowment and other investments in the portfolio to net-zero by 2050.
We believe that investments in climate solutions that help to mitigate the systemic risks of climate change will generate long-term returns for UVIMCO. Between 2021 and 2023, UVIMCO committed $215 million to climate solutions investments, including renewable power, innovative climate technologies, reforestation, and carbon markets.
UVIMCO is engaging with its managers around ESG issues, including emissions reduction and net-zero efforts. Directly engaging with external managers, participating in established sustainability initiatives, and investing in activist managers, is the most direct way to have an impact.
Our 2023 Investor Responsibility Report outlines the significant progress made in 2023 toward the goals laid out in the Investor Responsibility Framework and the 2022 Investor Responsibility Report. In 2023, we gathered more in-depth insights on our managers’ ESG policies; deepened engagement with external managers on overall ESG integration and specifically, climate change; undertook extensive efforts to measure and assess the carbon footprint of our portfolio; and continued investing in climate solutions across multiple asset classes.
The Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR) serves as a channel to address student, faculty, and alumni concerns and advise UVIMCO’s leadership on appropriate action regarding ESG investment issues and activities. The ACIR is comprised of seven committee members who are representative of the University community and understand its core values.
To learn more about UVIMCO’s investor responsibility efforts, please contact us.
UVIMCO has joined multiple sustainability initiatives to help guide its current approach and increase its collaboration with peers and subject matter experts.
