Sustainability and Stewardship Report

Our purpose is to invest for a better tomorrow. Our Sustainability & Stewardship Report details Ninety One’s work – on behalf of our clients and all of our stakeholders – towards a more sustainable future, with a deep dive into how we invest, advocacy and our corporate footprint.

Overview

  • Highlights, key figures and significant developments
  • Priorities for 2025-2026
  • Invest – how we invest sustainably for our clients and integrate environmental, social and governance factors
  • Advocate – how we use our voice in the markets to advocate for positive change among investors, companies and policymakers
  • Inhabit – how we aim to inhabit our own ecosystem in a manner that ensures a sustainable future for all

Download PDF

Sustainability highlights
  • Made first investments via Emerging Markets Transition Debt strategy.
  • Created firm-wide framework to enhance analysis of nature-related risks and impacts.
  • Published the Sovereign Biodiversity Index.
  • Implemented a new engagement-management tool to enhance coordination of active ownership.
  • Adopted UK Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (“SDR”) sustainability impact labels for Global Environment and Global Sustainable Equity strategies.

Investing sustainably to mitigate risk and generate returns

  • Made first investments via Emerging Markets Transition Debt strategy.
  • Created firm-wide framework to enhance analysis of nature-related risks and impacts.
  • Published the Sovereign Biodiversity Index.
  • Implemented a new engagement-management tool to enhance coordination of active ownership.
  • Adopted UK Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (“SDR”) sustainability impact labels for Global Environment and Global Sustainable Equity strategies.

Delivering on our transition plans and targets

  • 98% shareholder support for our transition plan at the 2024 annual general meeting (“AGM”).
  • 29 completed Transition Plan Assessments (“TPAs”) including first-time evaluations and reassessments.
  • 17.4% of financed emissions and 36.1% of corporate AUM have Science Based Targets initiative ("SBTi”) commitments or targets approved.
  • Sector-specific TPAs developed and enhanced for additional sectors, including mining and oil & gas; nature-related indicators incorporated (where relevant).

Improving transparency and disclosure

  • Maintained signatory status to the Financial Reporting Council UK Stewardship Code.
  • Submitted our third full CDP report.
  • Prepared first report in line with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (“TNFD”).
  • Implemented the SDR product label and anti-greenwashing rules, and European Securities and Markets Authority’s (“ESMA”) fund-naming guidelines.

Our key figures

£4.0 billion

managed in sustainable strategies1

365

engagements

16,000 carbon credits

purchased and retired with respect to Scope 1, 2 and 3 (category 6) emissions

14,167

proxy votes cast

61% reduction

in total Scope 1 and 2 emissions (location-based) vs. 2019 baseline

Contributed more than

£2 million

to education and skills development initiatives globally

As at 31 March 2025.

1 Sustainable strategies are defined by Ninety One’s internal framework, based on the European Commission’s Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR) criteria as at November 2019 for Article 8 and Article 9 funds

Implementing our Transition Plan: Investments

Our targets

50%

of financed corporate emissions and

56%

of corporate AUM to have science-based transition pathways by 2030
Our approach
  1. Prioritise heavy emitter engagement
  2. Assess corporate transition plans using own framework
  3. Aim for active engagement with 80% of emissions
  4. Grow allocation to climate solutions and transition investments
Our progress

Investments

As at 31 March 2025, 17.4% of our financed emissions and 36.1% of corporate AUM had set science-based transition targets.

Financed emissions with science-based targets

Financed emissions with science-based targets

Corporate AUM with science-based targets

% of corporate aum with science-based targets

Transitioning our operations

Our targets

By 2030, reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by

46%

Our approach
  • Reduce overall energy consumption
  • Search for credible renewable energy sources
  • Specific focus on energy-efficiency across offices
  • Carbon neutral Scope 1, 2 and 3 (category 6) emissions
Our progress

Absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions

Absolute Scope 1 & 2 emissions

Source: Ninety One. FY = Fiscal year.

2 In line with recommended sustainability accounting standards, the reporting period for emissions disclosures was amended in 2022 to align with Ninety One’s financial year (1 April – 31 March). In previous years, disclosures were reported as at calendar year end. Given the substantial overlap between FY2022 and calendar year 2021, we only report FY2022 here.

Download

Mountain Lion in Winter

Sustainability and Stewardship Report

Our purpose is to invest for a better tomorrow. Our Sustainability & Stewardship Report details Ninety One’s work – on behalf of our clients and all of our stakeholders – towards a more sustainable future, with a deep dive into how we invest, advocacy and our corporate footprint.

Download the report

Important Information

This communication is provided for general information only should not be construed as advice.

All the information in is believed to be reliable but may be inaccurate or incomplete. The views are those of the contributor at the time of publication and do not necessary reflect those of Ninety One.

Any opinions stated are honestly held but are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon.

All rights reserved. Issued by Ninety One.

For further information on indices, fund ratings, yields, targeted or projected performance returns, back-tested results, model return results, hypothetical performance returns, the investment team, our investment process, and specific portfolio names, please click here.