FIM and responsibility

Responsibility is one of the key principles guiding our operations. We consider our customers, employees, the environment, society, legislation and good corporate governance in our investment and business operations

Responsible investing

We invest responsibly, in accordance with the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, which we have signed. Responsible investing means that:

We have appointed a person dedicated to issues related to responsible investments.
We require that the companies we invest in fulfil a set of internationally approved norms concerning employees, human rights, the environment and corporate governance. Such norms include the UN Global Compact, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child, among others.
We strive to be active owners. We monitor the operations of the companies we invest in and will use our influence, if necessary.

UNPRI

FIM has signed the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. We are committed to taking environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues into consideration in our investment activities.

We commit to the following principles:
We will incorporate ESG issues into our investment analysis and decision-making processes.
We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
We will promote acceptance and implementation of the principles within the investment sector.
We will work together with others to enhance the effectiveness of the principles in practice.
We will report on our activities and progress towards implementing the principles.

Active ownership and influence

We want to truly know the companies we invest in, which is why our fund managers and analysts have more than 1,500 meetings with the companies every year. The main purpose of these meetings is to assess the financial and operational performance of the companies, but themes related to responsibility are also discussed. We attend annual general meetings when we believe that we can have an impact on issues that we consider to be important.

Careful examination of any violations committed by the companies we invest in

Our responsibility as a shareholder is heightened if a company in which our funds have holdings violates the norms that we have set for our investments. It then becomes our responsibility to find out the reasons behind the misconduct and begin discussions with the company on how to rectify the situation. Although our fund managers have strong investment expertise in the markets in which our funds are invested, we have considered it best to seek outside assistance in identifying possible violations of norms, as we have holdings in nearly 800 companies in total.

Our partner GES Investment Services reviews the holdings of all FIM Funds twice a year. If any violations come to light, the experts at GES help us find out the backstory and begin discussions and a process of influence with the company to rectify the situation. Our cooperation with an expert partner also means that we can combine forces with other investors and be better heard. If our efforts to make a difference in such a company do not produce the desired result, not even in the long term, we will divest our holding.

We can facilitate improvements to companies’ operating methods

We are in the process of negotiating improvements to the operations of several companies in which our funds have holdings.

As a rule, we do not exclude any company as a potential investment based on its sector, as we believe active ownership is an efficient way to influence the way companies operate. An exception to this are four funds where our customers have specifically requested the exclusion of certain investments. FIM Brands, FIM Brazil, FIM BRIC+ and FIM Sahara do not invest in companies in the tobacco or pornography industries or in companies in certain fields of military technology (nuclear and cluster weapons and anti-personnel landmines).

FINSIF: Finland’s Sustainable Investment Forum

We are a member of FINSIF. The Forum aims to promote responsible investment and spread information about the issue in Finland. It was founded by a group of Finnish investors, asset managers and service providers, who have signed the UN Principles for Responsible Investment.

Responsible business

We conduct our business in a responsible manner, in line with our values and goals. We also consider the impact of our operations on the environment, society and stakeholders. We encourage others to operate responsibly as well, creating wealth and well-being together.