Concrete Results

Investing in Your World

A distinguishing quality of the SocieTerra portfolios is their effort to refine the ESG practices of the companies in which they invest. The Corporate Engagement Program, designed and administered by our partner, NEI Investments, is responsible for overseeing these activities.

Each quarter, Desjardins Funds publishes Investing in Your World, a newsletter filled with timely SRI information, including a summary of the most recent progress and results of dialogues with companies.

Spring 2012

Investing in Your World - March 31, 2012

Winter 2011

Investing in Your World - December 30, 2011

Fall 2011

Investing in Your World - September 30, 2011

Summer 2011

Investing in Your World - June 30, 2011

Spring 2011

Investing in Your World - March 31, 2011

Winter 2010

Investing in Your World - December 31, 2010

Fall 2010

Investing in Your World - September 30, 2010

Summer 2010

Investing in Your World - June 30, 2010

Spring 2010

• Desjardins Presses Companies in the Natural Resources Sector to Engage in Dialogue
• Corporate Knights Recognizes SocieTerra Portfolio Funds

Winter 2009

• Ethical Funds Launches its 2010 Focus List
• Microsoft Enhances Transparency of its Executive Compensation
• RONA Continues to Lead the Way

Fall 2009

• Ethical Funds stands out in UNPRI report
• Risk management : lessons learned from the financial crisis
• 2010 Focus List to be launched in November

Summer 2009

• Cadbury’s fair trade initiative
• Salary cap imposed on executive management at SolarWorld
• Adoption of a code of conduct by Rogers and Research In Motion
• Results of the resolution put forward in the spring by Ethical Funds

Spring 2009

• Saputo, Great West Lifeco et E-L Financial
• Enbridge
• Reitmans
• Power Corporation

Recent results and what lies ahead

The ESG Services team engaged with over 60 Canadian and international companies on a variety of ESG issues with a success rate of 70% categorized as achieved or progressing).

Corporate Engagement Program Highlights (September 2009 - August 2010)

18		Goals reached in 61 dialogues with companies on NEI's 2010 Focus List, another 25 dialogues resulted in significant progress
17		Shareholders resolutions filed — 9 withdrawn when companies responded to our request
19		Letters sent on improving executive compensation packages
6,960		Proxies voted, voting against management 39% of the time
6		Policy and standards submissions to governments and regulators on ESG issues
1		Key report released: Lines in the Sands: Oil Sands Sector Benchmarking, highlighting the ESG risks of companies operating in the Alberta Oil sands

In 2011, NEI Investments will continue working with global stock exchanges to encourage them to play a greater role in improving the transparency of publicly-traded companies as well as ensuring companies are adhering to a pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. NEI Investments will also continue to push for more aggressive solutions to the cumulative impacts of oil sands development, both with individual companies and the Alberta government.

To learn more, read the 2010 ESG Investing Program Annual Report issued by NEI Investments.