Boston Common heads $3.9 trillion investor coalition backing new human rights framework for investing

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., Feb. 25 – Boston Common Asset Management, LLC is leading a coalition of more than 60 investors with $3.9 trillion of assets under management backing the recently announced United Nations Guiding Principles Reporting Framework.

The framework is a tool that enables companies to assess, manage and disclose their human rights performance in line with a global standard.

The coalition argues that companies that meet the “corporate responsibility to respect human rights” gain competitive advantage.

Coalition members include investors from Europe, North America and Australia. The group aims to incentivize “better corporate governance, management and reporting of human rights risks,” according to a news release.

“Ultimately, investors want to protect value by knowing human rights risks are being monitored and managed by the companies they invest in,” said Boston Common managing director Lauren Compere.

“This is a groundbreaking new tool as the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework provides smart and comprehensive guidance that means investors can more effectively identify and understand human rights risks in their portfolio,” she said.

Coalition members include APG Asset Management, Aviva Investors, BNP Paribas Investment Partners, Church of Sweden and Wespath.

Unilever is the first company to adopt the framework, followed by Ericsson, H&M, Nestlé and Newmont.

Boston Common is a Boston-based investment manager.

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