Border to Coast launches new engagement just transition programme

Border to Coast Pensions Partnership has launched a new programme of engagement on just transition.

Just transition – the integration of social risks and opportunities into decarbonisation strategies – enables investors to address systemic threats to long-term stability and value creation and supports the delivery of a rapid and resilient transition to net zero.

Just transition has already become an established consideration for Border to Coast in its responsible investment, engagement, and voting policies.

There are three strands to the new just transition engagement programme: piloting engagement with an emerging market energy utility; joining other institutional investors in the Financing a Just Transition Alliance (FJTA), co-ordinated by the London School of Economics Grantham Institute; and joining RLAM (Royal London Asset Management) to engage UK banks.

Colin Baines, stewardship manager at Border to Coast, said: “For institutional investors, contributing to a just transition offers a way of reducing systemic risks, realising fiduciary duties, identifying material value drivers, and generating positive social impacts.

“Our new value-adding engagement will offer support to companies, including high level sector expectations, best practice case studies, and expert feedback on policy drafts. By integrating just transition, we hope to avoid stranded communities, workers, and customers, as well as stranded assets.”