Sustainable Investing
As an active manager whose heritage is built on rigorous, fundamental analysis, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations have long informed our investment decisions.
We look at ESG factors from a bottom-up perspective, incorporating third-party ratings into our own due diligence—because ratings only tell part of the story.
| Beyond Third-Party Ratings | Because they’re based largely on publicly available data, third-party ratings don’t always convey the nuanced factors that affect a company’s ESG profile—or assess how material these factors are to financial performance. Furthermore, the availability of ratings data varies. |
| Opportunities for Active Managers | Digging deeper to find information that isn’t readily available and scrutinizing that information to determine what it truly means for a company’s prospects is the essence of our fundamental, bottom-up research process. |
| A More Nuanced Approach | Our research analysts develop long-term relationships with corporate management teams and understand how sustainability aligns with longer-term strategy and financial performance—a more thoughtful, nuanced approach we believe can create significant value for our clients. |
William Blair Investment Management 2024 PRI Scores
| PRI reporting Module | William Blair | PRI Median |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Governance and Strategy | ||
| Direct—Listed Equity Active Fundamental | ||
| Direct—Fixed Income—SSA (Sovereign, Supranational, and Agency) | ||
| Direct—Fixed Income—Corporate | ||
| Confidence Building Measures |
- United Nations-Supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory since 2011
- Member of the IFRS Sustainability Alliance, Emerging Markets Investors Alliance, and the International Corporate Governance Network
- UK Stewardship Code Signatory
- Japan Stewardship Code Signatory
- Korea Stewardship Code Signatory
- See our proxy voting activity
- United Nations-Supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory since 2011
- Member of the IFRS Sustainability Alliance, Emerging Markets Investors Alliance, and the International Corporate Governance Network
- UK Stewardship Code Signatory
- Japan Stewardship Code Signatory
- Korea Stewardship Code Signatory
- United Nations-Supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) signatory since 2011
- Member of the IFRS Sustainability Alliance, Emerging Markets Investors Alliance, and the International Corporate Governance Network
- UK Stewardship Code Signatory
- Japan Stewardship Code Signatory
- Korea Stewardship Code Signatory
Scores range from 1 star to 5 stars. See our PRI Transparency Report and review the PRI assessment methodology. 2024 PRI scores were distributed on November 25, 2024, and cover responsible investment activities for the 2023 calendar year. Signatories report on their responsible investment activities by responding to asset-specific modules in the reporting framework. Signatories’ responses are then assessed and results are compiled into an assessment report. William Blair Investment Management pays an annual fee to be a member of PRI and scores are only available to PRI members.
Resources and Insights
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Integration Policy
William Blair Investment Management believes in the importance of integrating key environmental, social, and governance considerations into our investment processes.
ESG Integration Across the Cap Spectrum
With large- and small-cap companies in different stages of ESG adoption, tracking, and reporting, we believe investors should take a tailored approach to engagement to drive the most positive outcomes.
2024 UK Stewardship Code Report
As fiduciaries to asset owners, we commit to being responsible stewards of their capital in line with being a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment.
5 Forces Fueling the Energy Transition
Why ESG Matters in Emerging Markets
We examine the growing materiality of ESG factors to investing in emerging markets, exploring both risks and opportunities.
Financial Inclusion Drives Investment Opportunities
Emerging markets debt investors can gain exposure to financial inclusion via companies with diverse geographies, business operations, and risk profile.
Diamonds Disrupted
In the luxury goods market, there has been growing consumer preference for sustainable products -- particularly for diamonds and other fine jewelry. In this episode of The Active Share, Hugo is joined by Marie-Ann Wachtmeister, co-founder and creative director of Courbet, a Parisian fine jewelry company, for a conversation on how luxury brands are embracing technology, how lab-grown diamonds have upended the traditional diamond industry, and how this shift in values offers new opportunities for companies to appeal to consumers' changing ethical and environmental concerns.
2024 PRI Conference: AI and Sustainability in Focus
Blake Pontius speaks to us from the annual PRI conference in Toronto, ON, where learned about the evolution of global regulatory frameworks and the impact of AI on sustainable investing.
Innovative Strategies Help Overcome ESG Hurdles
Events of 2022—including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the associated energy crisis in Europe; extreme weather conditions globally; and the political polarization of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in advanced economies, most notably the United States—could have a lasting effect on emerging markets (EM) debt investing.
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Any investment or strategy mentioned herein may not be appropriate for every investor. There can be no assurance that investment objectives will be met. Products and services listed are available only to residents of this jurisdiction and may only be available to certain categories of investors. The information on this website does not constitute an offer for products or services, or a solicitation of an offer to any persons outside of this jurisdiction who are prohibited from receiving such information under applicable laws and regulations. Nothing on this webpage should be construed as advice and is therefore not a recommendation to buy or sell shares.
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The William Blair Funds are distributed by William Blair & Company, L.L.C., member FINRA/SIPC.
The William Blair SICAV is a Luxembourg investment company with variable capital registered with the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (“CSSF”) which qualifies as an undertaking for collective investment in transferable securities (“UCITS”). The Management Company of the SICAV has appointed William Blair Investment Management, LLC as the investment manager for the fund.
Please carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the William Blair SICAV. This and other important information is contained in the prospectus and Key Investor Information Document (KIID). Read these documents carefully before investing. The information contained on this website is not a substitute for those documents or for professional external advice.
William Blair Investment Management, LLC is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Issued in the United Kingdom by William Blair International, Ltd., authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and is only directed at and is only made available to persons falling within articles 19, 38, 47, and 49 of the Financial Services and Markets Act of 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (all such persons being referred to as "relevant persons").
Issued in the European Economic Area (EEA) by William Blair B.V., authorized and supervised by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) under license number 14006134 and also supervised by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 82375682 and has its statutory seat in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This material is only intended for eligible counterparties and professional clients.
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Issued in Australia by William Blair Investment Management, LLC (“William Blair”), which is exempt from the requirement to hold an Australian financial services license under Australia's Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). William Blair is registered as an investment advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and regulated by the SEC under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940, which differs from Australian laws. This material is intended only for wholesale clients.
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Issued in Canada by William Blair Investment Management, LLC, which relies on the international adviser exemption, pursuant to section 8.26 of National Instrument 31-103 in Canada.