聯合國秘書長安南4月27日早上為美國紐約證交所敲響開盤鐘聲，並宣佈聯合國開始鼓勵投資法人在進行投資時，亦須顧及對當地環境及社會衝擊。在場亦有一群全球大型的投資法人共同參與其演說，以象徵「責任投資原則」（Principles for Responsible Investment）的正式推動。
責任投資原則的目標是設計一套全球通行的架構，供投資人在進行投資分析與行使所有權之時，納入環境、社會與治理等層面的檢驗標準；此外，透過此原則，亦將永續發展等聯合國目標，納入投資行為考量之中。
新啟動的「原則」羅列出區分為六大類的35項可行性行動方案，供機構投資人作為準則，以便將環境、社會與公司治理考量納入其投資活動。「原則」內容涵蓋面廣泛，舉凡投資決策、積極所有權、公開透明等議題均羅列其中；此外，擴大整體財經產業對責任投資行為之支持，進而互相合作，也是該「原則」的重要內容。
安南表示：「催生這些原則，是基於金融力量推動全球經濟之時，諸多投資決策並未充分反映出環境、社會與公司治理考量」，換句話說，即是未考量到永續發展的原則。
聯合國係與全球最大的幾個機構投資人合作設計這套責任投資原則，參與者均是世界上舉足輕重的機構，其所設立的公共退休基金在世界各地均有投資行為。據估計，在全球投資總額中，有高達35%是來自公司部門所設立的退休基金。
「挪威政府退休基金」執行長凱爾（Knut Kjaer）表示：「我們參與設計這套『原則』，是為幫助投資人對驅動基金長期績效的因素有更寬廣的認識。投資人必須合作，來支持井然有序的市場秩序與永續發展。」要瀏覽責任投資原則詳細內容，可點選以下網址：http://unpri.org/principles/
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange Thursday morning to announce the start of a United Nations effort to encourage institutional investors to weigh the environmental and social impact of their investments. A group of the world's largest institutional investors joined Annan at the Stock Exchange to officially launch the Principles for Responsible Investment.
The principles are intended to provide a global framework for integrating environmental, social and governance criteria into investment analysis and ownership practices. They will align international investment practices with the goals of the United Nations, including sustainable development.
The six overarching Principles, which are voluntary, are underpinned by a set of 35 possible actions that institutional investors can take to integrate environmental, social and corporate governance considerations into their investment activities. These actions relate to issues such as investment decisionmaking, active ownership, transparency, collaboration and gaining wider support for these practices from the whole financial services industry.
"These Principles grew out of the understanding that while finance fuels the global economy, investment decisionmaking does not sufficiently reflect environmental, social and corporate governance considerations " or put another way, the tenets of sustainable development," said Annan.
In joining with institutional investors to develop the Principles, the United Nations collaborated with some of the world's most influential institutions, many of them public pension funds involved in investment activities worldwide. It is estimated that pension funds alone, public and private, account for up to 35 percent of total global investment.
"We engaged in developing these Principles to help broaden the understanding of what drives long-term fund performance. Investors must collaborate to support well-regulated markets and sustainable development," said Knut Kjaer, executive director of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund.
To view the Principles, visit: http://unpri.org/principles/
