Boston Common was featured in the 2014 CDP Japan Report.1
Since 2010, Boston Common has engaged its Japanese companies on responding to the CDP water and carbon footprint surveys. Boston Common met with several of its Japanese companies in Tokyo in March 2014 where this was discussed.
“Boston Common Asset Management is a global investment manager that integrates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics into our investment process. We are long-term investors in the companies in which we invest. Our firm has been a CDP signatory since 2006 and a CDP investor member since 2012. As part of our global engagement strategy, Boston Common has consistently advocated that companies respond to the CDP as an essential first step to assessing and managing their carbon footprint.
During our meetings in Japan in 2014, we emphasized the need for companies to enhance and expand their disclosure on ESG issues by providing more robust disclosure on policy implementation with a focus on providing more data, setting goals, and reporting on progress. CDP provides a critical platform for qualitative and quantitative assessment of a company’s carbon footprint. We commend companies that already participate in the annual CDP survey, particularly those new companies which have committed to do so in 2014.
With Japan accounting for more than 20% of the international benchmark, we view sustainability disclosure related to carbon as critical for global investors. While we have seen progress over the last nine years in terms of the number of Japanese companies responding to CDP, we view climate change as a critical business risk as well as an opportunity for companies worldwide and across all sectors. We urge broader participation in CDP in Japan in 2015 and encourage companies across all sectors, to focus on integrating climate risk and opportunities into mid-to-long term business strategies.
We also encourage international and domestic investors to continue to support the important work of the CDP related to carbon asset risk assessment and disclosure in the years to come.”
1Boston Common is featured on Page 12 of the report.
