EUROPE -- Stockholm-based SRI analysis house GES Investment Services is to launching a web-based extension to its active engagement service that will enable its institutional investor clients to become more involved in the engagement process.

The system is due to go live on Thursday 15 September.

Until now GES has kept its clients up to date with progress on an engagement process with a given company via reports issued throughout the year. The new GES Engagement Forum will give clients the opportunity to check progress at any time by logging on to a dedicated members’ website.

One of the key elements is that they will have the opportunity to post their own thoughts on the engagement process in question.

“In this way they will be able to enter into collaboration on issues with other interested parties,” said GES marketing director Henrik af Donner.

Currently GES has institutional clients representing around €80bn in assets under management. “Once the new system is up and running we expect this figure to increase enormously,” said Af Donner. “The major pension funds in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordics have all registered an interest.”

The company’s active engagement is focused on human rights and environmental factors and is based on a framework of international conventions. One of the core principles is that where companies are considered to be in breach of international norms, investors should keep their shareholdings as long as possible with a view to maintaining influence in the engagement process.



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