Aegon UK and Phoenix Group join list of signatories to UK Stewardship Code

Written by Adam Cadle

30/08/2023

Aegon UK and Phoenix Group have been accepted as signatories to the UK Financial Reporting Council’s UK Stewardship Code.

The UK Stewardship Code is a set of voluntary principles that aim to improve the quality of stewardship practices by asset owners, managers and service providers. To become a signatory, organisations must clearly demonstrate that they have exercised effective stewardship over the previous 12 months through good governance and active engagement which has helped to generate long-term positive impacts for the economy, the environment, and/or society.

Tim Orton, chief investment officer at Aegon UK, said: “We believe that all asset owners have a responsibility to be good stewards of the world we live in. We are committed to using our influence to drive positive change and create a more sustainable future. Becoming a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code is a significant step forward in Aegon UK’s journey and complements our long-term strategy to fully embed responsible investing into our investment practices. We believe that this is the right thing to do and ultimately this is what our customers expect from us.”

Sindhu Krishna, head of sustainable investment at Phoenix Group, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been recognised under the Code for our approach to Stewardship, which has a vital role to play in our investment decision making. 2022 has been an ambitious year for Phoenix’s stewardship journey and we have set the building blocks to support an outcomes-oriented approach.

“We note the crucial role played by our asset management partners in our stewardship journey. Our managers are at the forefront of the dialogue with invested companies and we encourage them to embrace a holistic view of stewardship as an integral part of the investment process.”

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