Vancity Investment Management (VCIM) is a rapidly growing leader in Socially Responsible Investing in Canada. We offer individual, institutional and mutual fund clients an integrated investment process that utilizes shareholder engagement and incorporates Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) analysis and traditional financial analysis in the construction and management of investment portfolios.

Investment Philosophy

VCIM’s socially responsible investment philosophy integrates environmental, social and governance analysis with in-depth financial analysis to identify companies having the potential to succeed in a world of evolving environmental risk, increased social expectations and changing shareholder demands. We believe our integrated, socially responsible investment process adds value with an additional level of risk management and superior return potential.

We believe responsible, progressive companies tend to be better managed and as such will achieve competitive advantage and enhanced performance relative to their peers. We employ an active, bottom up focus on security selection that strictly adheres to VCIM’s proven responsible investment philosophy.

Our responsible investment philosophy is based on the idea that companies are more likely to be financially, socially and environmentally sustainable when they balance the interests of their key stakeholders. In other words, we believe a company’s long term success is dependent on its key stakeholders: Investors provide capital. Customers and clients purchase goods and services. Employees provide labour, skills and talent. Communities supply a base of operations. The relationship with each stakeholder affects the company’s ability to raise money, generate revenue, earn a profit and create value.

A comprehensive understanding of environmental, social, and governance risks in addition to understanding financial risk is essential for a company to effectively manage its total impact on stakeholders. Before investing, VCIM develops a complete picture of company-specific strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats by evaluating policies, performance and practices regarding the environment, social responsibility and corporate governance.

Critical to VCIM’s fully integrated approach is a keen focus on shareholder engagement to identify and understand how companies address the environmental, social and governance risks on behalf of their shareholders. As stakeholders, the VCIM team engages with companies to encourage opportunities for focused discussions with decision-makers. Filing shareholder resolutions to encourage this dialogue is an important tool actively used by VCIM.

VCIM has been adherent to responsible investing principles since 2005. In fact, VCIM’s predecessor, Inhance Investment Management, was the first mutual fund company in Canada to adopt UN Principles of Responsible Investment.