Good stewardship is good business

Whether you’re a financial intermediary, institutional investor, or retirement plan sponsor, our stewardship efforts are focused on future-proofing your portfolio and your business.

Active stewardship can advance financial objectives and operating strength

As a steward of our clients' capital, we believe sustainability factors can have a material impact on financial value. For this reason, we use the tools at our disposal to influence the trajectory of corporate sustainability performance.

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"To us, strong stewardship is inseparable from good investing."

—Paul R. Lorentz, President and CEO, Global Wealth and Asset Management

We employ a variety of activities focused on creating long-term value. The graphic illustrates these sequentially: ESG integration and engagement; participation in collaborative engagements and working groups; Influence corporate sustainability; promote sustainable operations, standards, and disclosure; and vote proxies to drive long-term sustainable value creation for diversified client portfolios.

Important disclosures

1 We seek to incorporate material sustainability considerations throughout the stages of our investment and asset ownership lifecycles, taking into account the characteristics of the asset class and investment process in question, as well as industry and geography, among other factors. Each investment team operates in different markets and with different nuances to its approach to investing. Accordingly, each team integrates sustainability factors into its investment process in a manner that best aligns with its investment approach. Exceptions to this are strategies where a sustainability integrated investment approach is impractical or impossible; for example, in relation to certain instrument types where sustainable comparable alternatives are unavailable, passive products, funds that invest in derivative instruments, products managed in accordance with specific client objectives, and delegation to third-party investment managers. Refer to Manulife Investment Management's sustainable investing and sustainability risk statement for further details. The activities and processes described are descriptive of practices of certain of our internal investment teams in our Public Markets and Private Markets business units, some of whom manage assets on behalf of the Manulife General Account. This does not reflect the ESG activities or practices of non-affiliated asset managers who manage Manulife Investment Management-sponsored products on our behalf.

Serving the broader community is a critical part of good stewardship

Our stewardship practices include intentional investment in the communities in which we live and work, strategic partnerships to amplify our impact, and sustainable management of real assets.

Socioeconomic impact is an imperative

Providing financial education to investors and retirement plan participants is part of the better level of service we offer to our business partners. In addition, we provide access to financial tools and resources to promote financial literacy and resiliency in the communities where we operate.

Longevity is a strategic focus

Helping our customers live better lives is an essential part of our mission as investors and as partners with retirement plan sponsors. For this reason, we conduct original research and fund innovations to shape the future of the longevity economy.

Being good stewards of natural capital is second nature

We prioritize the sustainable management of real assets over which we have operational control, including timberland, farmland, and real estate assets. Through this work, we seek to be good stewards of nature and strong partners with the communities in which these assets are situated.

The essence of good governance is diversity of thought and experience

Whether we consider the ranks of our own employees, the management and boards of the companies in which we invest, or the future of our society at large, we believe advancing DEI objectives is crucial to strong and sustainable governance.

Embracing diversity

As a global business, we benefit from encouraging a wide range of cultural and intellectual competencies across our workforce. What's more, creating and sustaining inclusive economic opportunities is a mission we share with our parent company. For this reason, we remain committed to embracing DEI in all its forms to create a strong and safe workplace and a resilient workforce.

Supporting talented youth

Improving our world today and tomorrow involves providing support to younger generations across the socioeconomic spectrum. That's why we sponsor programs, such as the MLK Scholars program in the United States, to encourage talent from underrepresented communities to build their professional skills and embark on leadership roles.

Differences matter for management and governance

We believe good management and governance depends on diversity of thought and experience, complementarity of roles, and the unfettered ability to challenge and test ideas. This is a culture we strive to maintain in our business and something we actively encourage among the businesses in which we invest.

Related viewpoints

April 25, 2024

The continuing evolution of investment stewardship

Brian J. Kernohan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Private Markets Manulife Investment Management

Peter Mennie, ASIP, Former Chief Sustainable Investment Officer, Public Markets Manulife Investment Management

The assignment of new client mandates is increasingly at stake in discussions of stewardship. We explore facets of asset owner urgency around stewardship and sustainability performance.

March 21, 2024

The global water challenge: risks and opportunities that all investors should consider

Brian J. Kernohan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Private Markets Manulife Investment Management

Eric Nietsch, CFA, Head of ESG Research and Integration Asia, ESG Team Manulife Investment Management

Daniel Baker, Director, Global Water Resources, Timberland and Agriculture Manulife Investment Management

Manulife Investment Management is committed to helping clients achieve their objectives, build resilient portfolios—including in relation to climate change—and, where appropriate, positively affect nature. We believe water-related risks and opportunities can be financially material factors that should be integrated into investment strategies and operational asset management.

January 17, 2024

Investing in the power of nature

Brian J. Kernohan, Chief Sustainability Officer, Private Markets Manulife Investment Management

Peter Mennie, ASIP, Former Chief Sustainable Investment Officer, Public Markets Manulife Investment Management

Brandon Lewis, Director, Sustainability, Timberland and Agriculture Manulife Investment Management

The crisis facing the world’s biodiversity has become front of mind for policymakers and investors in recent years. Investing in natural capital—the world’s stock of natural resources that combine to yield a flow of benefits—represents an exciting investment innovation that can achieve a range of positive impacts and create opportunities outside of traditional investment silos.