Morrison has a long-held commitment to sustainable investment, led by a clear purpose to “invest wisely in ideas that matter”.
This purpose statement guides the firm’s investment decisions, which identify long term trends that will underpin the needs of future generations. This multi-decade, global approach can help improve essential services and enable communities to flourish.
Paul Newfield, Head of Australia and New Zealand at Morrison & Co, said, “We see the urgent need to reduce humanity’s carbon footprint as the most profound challenge facing the world today. To be better custodians for future generations, we consider the long-term health of the environment, and how we make a positive impact on our local communities.”
In keeping with its desire to support projects that create enduring community benefits, Morrison & Co has committed to being climate positive across its own operations. This means, where possible, its business will eliminate carbon emissions altogether, or alternatively, they will be offset through programmes that work with local communities.
One of these programmes is a partnership with Trees that Count, a New Zealand charity that supports the planting of all types of native trees across Aotearoa, including Kauri and Tōtara in the north, and Pōhutukawa along the coast.
Morrison & Co supports the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), has been a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment for over a decade, and actively collaborates with other industry bodies including GRESB and the Investor Group on Climate Change. It is also a member of the Aotearoa Sustainable Finance Forum, which finalised its recommendations for embedding long term sustainability into the operation of New Zealand capital markets in 2020.
Morrison & Co’s Sustainability Framework creates a common language for responsible investment across its global operations.
Jon Collinge, Morrison & Co’s Sustainability Director, said, “We partner with each of the investment funds and companies we manage to help them become more sustainable. By working alongside investee Boards, our bespoke programmes help strengthen their commitments to building long-term sustainable operations.”