Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.57
Liaison Brandon Trelstad
Submission Date Dec. 20, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Oregon State University
PA-9: Sustainable Investment

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.30 / 4.00 Molly Brown
Sr. Director, Communications & Stewardship
OSU 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:
606,415,733 US/Canadian $

Value of holdings in each of the following categories:
Value of Holdings
Sustainable industries (e.g. renewable energy or sustainable forestry) 840,592 US/Canadian $
Businesses selected for exemplary sustainability performance (e.g. using criteria specified in a sustainable investment policy) 116,598,134 US/Canadian $
Sustainability investment funds (e.g. a renewable energy or impact investment fund) 485,180 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:
Holdings reported above receive the highest ESG score as determined by the Foundation's investment consultants and/or map to the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF or the iShares Dow Jones Global Sustainability Screened ETF.

Percentage of the institution's investment pool in positive sustainability investments:
19.45

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?:
Yes

None
A copy of the sustainable investment policy:
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None
The sustainable investment policy:
Sustainable invesment practices are addressed in the Foundation's Investment Policy. Relevant paragraphs are excerpted below: ... As a fiduciary of private gifts provided to support this mission, the Foundation’s primary investment objective is to achieve the highest long-term total investment return on investment assets that is compatible with the Foundation’s risk tolerance and time horizons and consistent with prudent investment practices. A successful, long-term investment strategy must include a diverse portfolio of companies that are excellent corporate citizens. The Foundation strives to invest in companies that maximize shareholder transparency and are committed to the protection of their workforce and natural environment over the long term.

None
Does the institution use its sustainable investment policy to select and guide investment managers?:
Yes

None
A brief description of how the policy is applied, including recent examples:
The Foundation's Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) applies OSU Foundation investment policies in the oversight of investment managers, including policies noted above regarding sustainable investments.

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?:
No

None
Examples of how the institution has engaged with corporations in its portfolio about sustainability issues during the previous three years:
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Negative Screens / Divestment Efforts 

Does the institution have a publicly available investment policy with negative screens?:
No

None
A brief description of the negative screens and how they have been implemented:
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None
Approximate percentage of the endowment that the negative screens apply to:
0

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?:
Yes

None
A brief description of the investor networks and/or collaborations:
Foundation staff monitors and shares best practices and networks with peer institutions regarding issues and emerging trends in responsible investing. Primary networks include the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)'s Institutionally Related Foundations group, Associated Governing Boards (AGB), and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.osufoundation.org/s/359/foundation/start.aspx?sid=359&gid=34&pgid=61

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.