Our approach to Responsible Investing

Downing is an investment management firm that is committed to responsible investing. Our policy applies across all of our assets under management, and is renewed annually.

Our portfolio of assets worth c. £1.4bn (Dec 2020) are managed by five different business areas: Energy & Infrastructure, Development Capital, Property Lending, Ventures and Downing Fund Managers. 

While the Responsible Investment Policy is firm-wide, each business area has their own approach to incorporating environmental, social and governance factors into their investment business, therefore, we publish their individual approaches to sustainability.

In September 2021, Downing was accepted as a signatory to the Financial Reporting Council Stewardship Code. The code sets high standards of stewardship for those investing money on behalf of UK savers and investors and is recognised globally as a best-practice benchmark in investment stewardship.

Check out our submission below, which provides an overview of our overall approach as active asset managers.

We have a fiduciary duty to make use of our voting rights and to engage with companies where we hold shares to ensure they are run in a way that protects the interests of our investors. Our voting and engagement policy is aligned with our vision of Responsible Investing and will be reviewed annually and published here.

Downing became a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment in 2019.