Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.23
Liaison Merry Rankin
Submission Date Sept. 1, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Iowa State University
PA-9: Sustainable Investment

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.98 / 4.00 Michael Wahlin
Asst Vp/Controller
ISU Foundation
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Option 1: Positive Sustainability Investment 

Does the institution wish to pursue Option 1 (positive sustainability investment)?:
Yes

Total value of the investment pool:
756,238,742 US/Canadian $

Value of holdings in each of the following categories:
Value of Holdings
Sustainable industries (e.g. renewable energy or sustainable forestry) 0 US/Canadian $
Businesses selected for exemplary sustainability performance (e.g. using criteria specified in a sustainable investment policy) 35,659,924 US/Canadian $
Sustainability investment funds (e.g. a renewable energy or impact investment fund) 0 US/Canadian $
Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) or the equivalent 0 US/Canadian $
Socially responsible mutual funds with positive screens (or the equivalent) 0 US/Canadian $
Green revolving loan funds that are funded from the endowment 0 US/Canadian $

If any of the above is greater than zero, provide:

A brief description of the companies, funds, and/or institutions referenced above:
Investment holdings were compared to the Dow Jones World Sustainability Index by the Foundation's independent consultant. This index is used to identify businesses with exemplary sustainability performance. Transparency to indivudual holdings in the Foundation's portfolio is available to approximately 70% of the respective investment managers.

Percentage of the institution's investment pool in positive sustainability investments:
4.72

Option 2: Investor Engagement 

Does the institution wish to pursue Option 2 (investor engagement)?:
Yes

Sustainable Investment Policy 

Does the institution have a publicly available sustainable investment policy?:
No

None
A copy of the sustainable investment policy:
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None
The sustainable investment policy:
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None
Does the institution use its sustainable investment policy to select and guide investment managers?:
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None
A brief description of how the policy is applied, including recent examples:
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Proxy Voting 

Has the institution engaged in proxy voting, either by its CIR or other committee or through the use of guidelines, to promote sustainability during the previous three years?:
No

None
A copy of the proxy voting guidelines or proxy record:
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None
A brief description of how managers are adhering to proxy voting guidelines:
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Shareholder Resolutions 

Has the institution filed or co-filed one or more shareholder resolutions that address sustainability or submitted one or more letters about social or environmental responsibility to a company in which it holds investments during the previous three years?:
Yes

None
Examples of how the institution has engaged with corporations in its portfolio about sustainability issues during the previous three years:
http://www.iowaregents.edu/media/cms/GA_IranReport063015_A10AC6AAFC25D.pdf http://www.iowaregents.edu/media/cms/GA_SudanReport063015_9F67F90017E45.pdf

Negative Screens / Divestment Efforts 

Does the institution have a publicly available investment policy with negative screens?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the negative screens and how they have been implemented:
The University scrutinizes the business activities of companies doing business with Sudan and Iran in four general areas: military equipment, mineral extraction activities, oil-related activities, and power production activities. The University uses research services of the Crisis Risk Network for Sudan investments and IW Financial Inc. or Iran investments to assist it in developing the list of scrutinized companies that is based on the criteria specified Iowa Code chapters 12F and 12H. The University, through the Board of Regents, State of Iowa, contacts the scrutinized companies and asks them to explain their business operations in these two countries. If a company is deemed to not meet the requirements of the law, or does not respond to the request for information within 90 days, they are placed on a prohibited investment list. Once a company is placed on the prohibited list, the University cannot make any new investments in the company. The University is also required to divest of any securities issues by the companies on the prohibited list that they hold directly within 18 months. As a member of the Board of Regents, Iowa State supports an Iran Divestment Act, which ensures that regent institutions have no direct holdings in prohibited Iranian companies. This same type of divestment act is also in place for a list of prohibited companies operating in Sudan.

None
Approximate percentage of the endowment that the negative screens apply to:
21

Investor Networks 

Does the institution engage in policy advocacy by participating in investor networks and/or engage in inter-organizational collaborations to share best practices?:
No

None
A brief description of the investor networks and/or collaborations:
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.