The Sustainability Stewardship Service is designed with client feedback for investors who prioritize sustainability and seek to achieve sustainability outcomes. This client-driven service provides a dedicated framework for company engagement and specialized proxy voting focused on specific sustainability priorities.
Developed in response to client feedback for more choice in stewardship approaches, the Sustainability Stewardship Service incorporates sustainability considerations in proxy voting and engagement across four key areas:
Climate Change
Nature
Human Rights
Diversity
The Sustainability Stewardship Service follows a comprehensive six-stage process cycle that ensures continuous improvement and client alignment:
The continuous improvement cycle ensures the Sustainability Stewardship Service evolves through client input, research, policy refinement, engagement, evaluation, and reporting.
A dedicated Sustainability Stewardship Team operates as a distinct unit with specialized knowledge in sustainability stewardship, proxy voting, and corporate engagement. The team focuses exclusively on executing the Sustainability Stewardship Service Proxy Voting and Engagement Policy for participating clients.
The Sustainability Stewardship Service Proxy Voting and Engagement Policy establishes clear client-led viewpoints on climate, nature, human rights, and diversity, serving as the foundation for all engagement and voting activities for the Sustainability Stewardship Service.
The Sustainability Stewardship Service is available globally to institutional separately managed account clients to opt in regarding eligible equity securities held in their segregated accounts managed by SSGA. Clients opting into the Sustainability Stewardship Service can select the Sustainability Stewardship Service Proxy Voting and Engagement Policy or retain their own voting authority.
For questions or any further information on the Sustainability Stewardship Service, please contact the Sustainability Stewardship Team.