The environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting package from BMO Global Asset Management (GAM) includes: an annual report reviewing the firm's responsible investment activities over the year; ESG profile and impact reports; thought pieces from the responsible investment team; engagement and voting statistics with data going back to 2006; and information on participation in industry events.

In its latest Responsible Investment Review, the asset manager reviewed all its responsible investment activities and achievements in 2018. It also included a focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and set out how the firm's engagement activities help address them, while also addressing financially-material risks.

In 2016, BMO GAM published its first ESG Profile and Impact Report for two of its strategies – Responsible Global Equity and Responsible Emerging Markets Equity. It now publishes these reports annually and has recently produced its first Green Bonds-focused report.

These reports provide investors with more information on the ESG performance of the individual strategies, highlighting leaders and laggards, as well as the impact their holdings are having.

BMO GAM also publishes 10-15 'Viewpoint' publications each year. These are research / thought leadership articles produced by the responsible investment team, covering a wide range of topical ESG issues, including the outcomes of engagement initiatives.

"Clear accountability and transparent communication to our clients is fundamental to our offering," says Alice Evans, co-head of responsible investment.

"[We] view ESG reporting as a strategic priority which, we believe, helps facilitate the connection between sustainable companies, our investment teams and investors. The identification of financially material environmental, social and governance issues forms part of our investment process, helping us to manage risk and support long-term returns. Beyond the management of opportunity and risk, we also see better quality reporting practices and broader investment stewardship activities as part of our duty as an investor acting in the best interest of our clients, and as a participant in the global financial system."