Introduction

Systemic issues such as climate change, nature loss, modern slavery, social inequality and governance failures are increasingly recognised as financially material for investors as they can affect long-term (and increasingly, short-term) performance and risk profiles. Addressing these issues is essential to meeting an investor’s fiduciary duties, as managing the associated risks and capitalising on the associated opportunities can help to protect and grow clients’ capital. Investors’ also have wider responsibilities such as upholding the quality and integrity of the financial markets they invest in and allocating capital to investments that contribute to a sustainable economy and society. Most, if not all, of the systemic issues investors face cannot be tackled alone, creating a need to collaborate with peers, clients and broader stakeholders. Since the launch of initiatives like the PRI Collaboration Platform in 2006 and Climate Action 100+ in 2017, investor collaborations have proliferated, however in recent years they have also faced legal and other challenges. But what makes these collaborations successful? How can investors avoid pitfalls and leverage the collective power of their members for meaningful change? 

Successful investor collaborations can lead to measurable corporate or policy changes, improved ESG disclosures, and strengthened long-term investor influence. This guide offers practical steps to achieve these outcomes. 

This guide is informed by insights from key industry experts: Archie Pearson (Rathbone Group Plc), Erwin Jackson and Michael Bones (Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC)), Simon O’Connor (former CEO of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA)), Jo Wackrill, Bonnie Groves, and Paul Chandler (Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)), Dr. Bronwyn King (Tobacco Free Portfolios) and of course, guide co-author, Kate Turner (First Sentier Investors). It serves as a blueprint for investors to collaborate effectively, navigate challenges and drive meaningful outcomes. 

* This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, financial, or investment advice.

Key insights

1. Addressing systemic issues supports investors to meet their fiduciary duties: Systemic issues are increasingly recognised as financially material for investors as they can affect long-term (and increasingly, short-term) performance and risk profiles. Addressing these issues is essential to meeting an investor’s fiduciary duties, as managing the associated risks and capitalising on the associated opportunities can help to protect and grow clients’ capital. 
2. Investor collaborations amplify impact: Working together enables investors to address sustainability issues like climate change, human rights and governance issues more effectively. 
3. Different collaboration models exist: From company engagement and policy advocacy to investor letters, each serves a unique purpose. 
4. Early alignment ensures success: Defining clear goals, governance structures, and decision-making processes helps to prevent inefficiencies. 
5. Investor-led initiatives are stronger: Investor leadership ensures greater credibility, participation, and accountability, with support from a secretariat function, NGO and/or knowledge partner. 
6. Key barriers include resources and governance: Time constraints, legal concerns and unclear governance can hinder collaboration. 
7. Transparency strengthens outcomes: Voting mechanisms, shared reporting and structured engagement frameworks improve accountability. 
8. Trust and engagement require effort: Networking, accountability measures, and ongoing feedback keep investors aligned. 
9. Sufficient resources are critical: Pooled funding models, as seen in Climate Action 100+, can help sustain long-term success. 

What are investor collaborations?

Collaboration can vary widely, from signing letters to participating in multi-year, hands-on engagements, and time frames and intensity can shift depending on the issue (e.g., policy advocacy can be resource intensive during consultation periods).  

For the purposes of this guide, we have considered a broad range of investor initiatives beyond traditional collaborative company engagements. 

Types of investor collaborations 

Company engagement

This occurs when a group of investors engage with a focus list of investee companies, often with a lead investor and one or more support investors allocated to each company. All engagements will be working towards a standard set of outcomes or goals, tailored to the company based on an engagement plan or guidelines.  

Examples: Climate Action 100+, Find It Fix It Prevent It, PRI Advance and Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APAC (IAST APAC)

Investor statements

This is a more passive collaboration where a group of investors (and also potentially broader stakeholders) issue or sign on to a joint statement, signalling their collective position in relation to policy or corporate actions. These statements often highlight the collective assets under management (AUM) of the group.  

Example: the 2024 Global Investor Statement to Governments on the Climate Crisis

Policy advocacy

This is when investors collaborate to advocate for changes in policies affecting either sustainable finance or real-world policies impacting the companies they invest in.  

Examples: RIAA’s Australia and New Zealand policy platforms, IGCC’s sector transition pathways and the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute’s (ASFI) government engagement program

Engagement with ESG service providers

This involves investors collectively engaging with ESG data and service providers to influence product development, as well as the type of information mandated by standard setters or disclosed by companies through environmental metrics. 

Examples: IAST APAC’s core metrics on modern slavery and the Investor Initiative on Human Rights Data

Exercising voting rights

This involves engagement in relation to AGM outcomes, either through co-filing or supporting specific shareholder resolutions, or using general voting rights (such as director elections and approval of the company’s annual report and accounts) as a way of expressing shareholder concerns.  

Example: Votes Against Slavery

Issue-based collaboration

Focused on specific issues such as tobacco, fossil fuels or deforestation, where investors commit to eradicating or addressing issues in certain sectors or more broadly and advocate for similar actions from others.  

Example: Tobacco Free Finance Pledge

The importance of investor collaborations

Investor collaborations can provide multiple benefits, including:

• combining influence to address systemic issues that cannot be dealt with by individual investors alone;
• time efficiency, streamlining engagement for both investors and stakeholders;
• utilising investor leverage effectively; and
• creating an environment for peer learning, where investors share insights and best practices.

Addressing systemic risks

Investor collaborations are increasingly relevant in today’s environment because of the growing interconnection of global issues such as climate change, human rights, and social inequalities. These systemic risks cannot be solved in isolation – collective action is crucial to drive meaningful change in both corporate and government policies.

Collaboration has proven to be a powerful tool in policy advocacy, particularly in areas where governance is still evolving, such as sustainable finance.

“Investors are actually quite unique as a group of stakeholders. Their vested interest ultimately is very similar to that of government—strong economy, strong communities, a vibrant society. That makes investor collaboration particularly powerful when engaging with policymakers.”

Erwin Jackson, Managing Director, Policy, IGCC

Efficient use of time, resources and expertise

Research from the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute that surveyed 100 business executives across different geographies, sectors and business sizes on what makes for successful corporate engagement from a company point of view indicated that collaborative engagements are preferred by companies and associated with a higher success rate than unilateral engagements.¹ The research also indicated that successful corporate engagement depends on a compelling case for change, driven by knowledgeable investors and supported by a consensus among shareholders. Investor collaborations can overcome the limitations of time, resources and expertise. By enabling specialised investors to take the lead in engagements, these collaborations allow other participants to leverage their expertise and scale up their impact, enhancing the overall effectiveness of collective actions.

“We set up Votes Against Slavery back in 2020. We saw an engagement opportunity, scoured the market, and couldn’t find anyone engaging on improving transparency on modern slavery reporting in premium-listed UK companies. Within 48 hours, we got full compliance from five FTSE100 companies. We thought, well, this is remarkable. Engagement success never happens that quickly.”

Archie Pearson, ESG and Stewardship Analyst – Voting Lead, Rathbones Group Plc

Collaboration can also streamline processes for companies, making it easier for them to respond to investor concerns and manage their own ESG strategies. This approach can extend to broader stakeholders as well. Encouraging investors to engage proactively with affected stakeholders, like trade unions, communities, and indigenous peoples, can be a more effective use of their time than if each investor approached these groups individually.

Utilising investor leverage effectively

By pooling resources, investors can influence policy and corporate actions much more effectively. Collective actions like those seen in Climate Action 100+ enable investors to hold companies accountable in ways that individual investors alone cannot. This collaboration amplifies their ability to influence change across entire sectors.  By leveraging their collective influence, particularly through the billions or even trillions of dollars in assets under management (AUM) they represent, investors send a powerful message to policymakers, companies and broader stakeholders, amplifying their ability to drive real change.

“Collaboration brings a sum of many brains coming together to find the pathway through.”

Simon O’Connor, Former CEO, Responsible Investment Association of Australasia

Peer learning and knowledge sharing

Investor collaborations also provide valuable opportunities for peer learning. Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APAC, for example, partners with Walk Free to provide structured learning and engagement support. Initiatives such as these can establish a formal space for investors to share knowledge, discuss best practices and refine engagement strategies.

¹ 64% of companies surveyed preferred collaborative engagements to unilateral engagements and this preference translates into a 33% success rate for collaborative engagements, compared to an 11% success rate for unilateral engagements: First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute, Constructive corporate engagements from a corporate perspective, September 2023, p 19.

Barriers to effective investor collaborations

Barriers to effective investor collaborations include:

• Understanding and operating within relevant legal frameworks, in particular in relation to competition law
• Resource intensity and sustainable funding
• Governance challenges
• Political and regulatory uncertainty
• Measuring impact

Understanding and operating within relevant legal frameworks

Concerns over compliance with legal requirements, in particular in relation to competition law, has been a key headwind for collaborative engagements in recent years. Seeking appropriate legal advice, considering publicly available information (for example, in December 2024 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission released guidance on sustainability collaborations and Australian competition law) and integrating these considerations into the governance of investor collaborations is key to addressing this challenge.

Resource intensity and sustainable funding

Collaborations can be highly demanding, requiring substantial resources for research, follow-ups, and progress tracking. This can also be the case for participants – many investors struggle to determine which collaborations are most urgent due to resource constraints. Where investor collaborations do not have sustainable funding, this can lead to resource constraints, impacting efficiency.

Governance challenges

A lack of clarity on roles, responsibilities and decision-making processes can slow down collaborations, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved. In the case of investor collaborations, well-structured governance frameworks can help maintain efficiency. The UNEP FI’s legal framework for impact underscores how governance structure influence collaborative outcomes.

“Spending that time early to get really precise and crystal clear about the purpose of the engagement and clear agreement around the objectives is so important, or there may be a tendency for the scope to creep all over the place. You need that anchor point clearly built and collectively agreed upon.”

Simon O’Connor, Former CEO, RIAA on setting up the Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative

Political and regulatory uncertainty

Unlike corporate engagements, policy advocacy lacks clear norms, making collaboration difficult. Shifting government policies and political instability can often disrupt investor efforts.

Decarbonisation initiatives, for instance, can be stalled or reversed due to political changes, making long-term planning difficult. PGIM’s Great expectations: Is engagement living up to its promise? provides insights into how policy shifts impact engagement success.

“We haven’t really established the norms of policy engagement in the investment community like other industries have. For this reason, investors aren’t always 100% comfortable speaking up.”

Erwin Jackson, Managing Director, Policy, IGCC

Measuring impact

Assessing collaboration outcomes is challenging due to varying transparency levels and measurement methodologies. For example, investor statements have become a common tool for signalling intent, but their impact can be diluted by sheer volume. With so many initiatives, individual statements lose credibility and lead to investor and stakeholder fatigue and reduced accountability. To maximise effectiveness, the PRI team recommends that collaborations should focus on fewer, well-structured statements with measurable outcomes, rather than adding to the growing number of statements with limited follow-through.

“Investor collaborations are an effective tool to drive an agenda, but how many can you realistically give your support to and actually give the energy to, versus just passively joining and putting your signature down?”

Simon O’Connor, former CEO, RIAA

How to have successful investor collaborations

This “How” section outlines a practical roadmap for building successful investor collaboration. Drawing from expert interviews and best-practice examples, and guided by the COM-B behavioural model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation – Behaviour), it is designed to equip you with the knowledge, systems and motivation to collaborate successfully in pursuit of sustainable finance goals.

Each step reflects the behavioural components that support action:

• Capability – Providing skills, tools and clarity
• Opportunity – Structuring the environment for action
• Motivation – Reinforcing purpose, peer alignment and goal pursuit

Step 1: Investor-led approach

Why it matters

In the First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute report on constructive corporate engagements, 91% of companies said they preferred direct engagement with investors rather than through a third party.² Investors bring credibility and weight to collaborations, particularly when they take the lead on key issues. This, in turn, encourages greater participation from investee companies, peers and NGOs. While broader stakeholders provide valuable technical expertise and support, they are most effective when they complement investor efforts rather than direct them.

“The most effective thing that we’ve done is encourage investors to lead the collaboration so that it’s not NGO led. It’s NGO supported, but investor led. Peer-to-peer encouragement is a really strong pull.”

Dr Bronwyn King, CEO, Tobacco Free Portfolios

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Establish an investor steering group to guide strategy and engagement.
• Structure collaborations with investor leadership and stakeholder support (e.g.,  Climate Action 100+ and IAST APAC.
• Use established frameworks like PRI’s Active Ownership 2.0 to define leadership roles and escalation strategies.

Goal prompt

• Form your investor leadership structure within the first quarter of the collaboration.

Nudge

• Use your kick-off meeting to start the leadership conversation. Assign someone to draft a proposal within 3–4 weeks.

Track progress

• By month 3: Has a leadership model been agreed and documented?
• Peer rating of clarity on leadership structure

Step 2: Early alignment on purpose and goals

Why it matters

Alignment on purpose prevents scope creep and ensure that all participants stay focused on a common mission.

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Hold an initial strategy session to align on priorities.
• Document and circulate a clear purpose and action focus (ensures buy-in from all participants).
• Separate goals into streams
• Use structured goal-setting approaches (e.g., IAST APAC’s separation of policy advocacy and company engagement, to keep focus areas clear.
• Align with global standards such as the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Develop an investor commitment statement, like that used by Tobacco-Free Portfolios or PRI’s Spring, to set clear expectations.

Goal prompt

• Within 30 days of your first group meeting, agree on a written set of shared goals.

Nudge

• Create a shared collaboration charter. Assign one person to draft it and include finalisation in the next meeting agenda.

Track progress

• By day 30: Is the goal statement finalised and shared?
• % of participants agreeing the goals reflect their priorities

Step 3: Establishing governance structures

Why it matters

Well-defined roles, decision-making processes and advisory groups are essential for keeping collaborations organised and effective. This also helps to build accountability. Clarity in decision-making is essential for building trust and keeping investors aligned.

“Good governance is the foundation of successful collaborative engagements. Clear structures provide participants and stakeholders with essential clarity on roles and responsibilities, decision-making processes, and how the initiative aligns with both regulatory obligations and investors’ duties to clients and beneficiaries.”

Paul Chandler, Director of Stewardship, PRI

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Establish a leadership group to oversee strategic decisions and alignment.
• Use structured governance approaches from proven models like Climate Action 100+, where investors act as leads for company engagements.
• Create working groups like IAST APAC’s sector-based model, allowing for targeted engagement.
• Seek legal advice on the appropriate structure, any documentation required (such as a non-disclosure agreement or participation deed) and legal requirements (such as competition law). Ensure that any such requirements are both embedded and understood by participants.
• Develop a formal charter or terms of reference outlining responsibilities, decision-making and escalation pathways. Develop structured action plans to ensure long-term investor engagement and measurable outcomes.
• Set clear participation expectations, drawing from models like Tobacco-Free Portfolios and the Climate Action 100+ lead and support investor model, which requires investors to contribute meaningfully.
• Document and communicate decision-making processes transparently.
• Facilitate strategy workshops to align investors on key issues and engagement priorities.
• Establish feedback loops, such as regular progress reviews and learning reflections.
• Use structured engagement frameworks like CCLA’s Find It, Fix It, Prevent It model to track engagement outcomes and investor influence.
• Maintain shared reporting dashboards, as seen in Climate Action 100+, to provide real-time visibility into engagement progress and corporate responses.

Goal prompt

• By Day 60, set up governance (roles, decision-making, working groups and legal docs if needed).

Nudge

• Use 15 minutes every second meeting to check in on governance setup and clarify roles.

Track progress

• By day 60: Has a charter or terms of reference been approved?
• # of working groups with clear scopes
• % of participants reporting clear governance understanding

Step 4: Defining timelines and responsibilities

Why it matters

Without defined timelines, collaborations risk stalling, and their impact diminishes. Clearly allocated responsibilities ensure that the workload is shared effectively.

“You can have the sharpest minds working on an issue, but if roles and deadlines aren’t clear, things fall through the cracks. I’ve seen collaborations where some investors finish their work quickly while others haven’t even started. Having hard deadlines and clear accountability is key.”

Archie Pearson, ESG and Stewardship Analyst – Voting Lead, Rathbones Group Plc

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Develop a timeline with milestones and review points to maintain momentum and accountability.
• Assign lead investors for key engagements, as seen in the Climate Action 100+ company engagement model, ensuring dedicated leadership in focus areas.
• Follow structured engagement cycles, such as Climate Action 100+’s quarterly check-ins, to maintain consistency and monitor progress.
• Track progress with structured reporting mechanisms, including policy milestones, as seen in Votes Against Slavery’s shareholder vote tracking.

Goal prompt

• Share a 12-month roadmap with task owners and check-in points within 45 days.

Nudge

• Use a shared tool to assign tasks and auto-reminders. Ask each owner to add a midpoint check-in to their calendar.

Track progress

• By day 45: Has the roadmap been shared?
• % of tasks with assigned owners and due dates
• % of milestones completed on time

Step 5: Trust-building activities

Why it matters

Informal social meetings help build trust and improve engagement. Strong relationships lead to better collaboration and information sharing and higher levels of engagement.

“If it’s not fun, people are not going to participate and they’re not going to want to engage. So it actually has to be fun if it’s going to work. Obviously, there’s hard work in there, but that’s a really core principle.”

Michael Bones, Senior Manager, Advocacy, IGCC

“It is important to set up a good-spirited network and make it an interesting and enjoyable piece of work. Great collaborations are relationship-driven so trust and respect are paramount.”

Dr Bronwyn King, CEO, Tobacco Free Portfolios

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Organise informal gatherings (e.g., pre-event dinners, social meetings) to strengthen relationships.
• Encourage 1-on-1 investor meetings to foster trust on a personal level.
  Create structured networking spaces, such as working groups or mentorship pairings.
• Use digital engagement strategies for virtual collaborations, such as virtual coffee chats, roundtables, or peer discussion forums.

Goal prompt

• Hold at least one informal trust-building activity each quarter.

Nudge

• Rotate a “community connector” each quarter to plan and send invites.

Track progress

• Each quarter: Was an informal activity held?
• Average trust ratings from attendees

Step 6: Resourcing

Why it matters

Collaborations need adequate financial and human resources to sustain momentum.
Many collaborations fail due to resource constraints, whether in personnel, time, or funding. Without sufficient resources, progress slows, and impact is diminished.

How to do it

Depending on the type of initiative, consider the following options:

• Attempt to secure internal and external resources by obtaining commitments from large institutional investors, using pooled co-funding models like Climate Action 100+, and leveraging external funding sources such as ESG-related grants.
• Attempt to secure institutional investor commitments to provide dedicated staff, expertise, or financial resources to sustain long-term engagement.

Goal prompt

• By month 3, secure at least one form of resourcing (staff, funding or support)

Nudge

• Include a short “resourcing spotlight” in your first 3 meetings to share opportunities.

Track progress

• By month 3: Has a resourcing commitment been secured?
• Amount of time, funding, or in-kind support committed
• Participation confidence in long-term resourcing

Altiorem companion resource

Ready to put this into action? Download our editable Investor Collaboration Planner & Tracker to help structure, assign and track your next collaboration.

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Case Studies

Climate Action 100+

Type of collaboration

Company engagement, policy advocacy

Year of launch

2017

Membership

Over 700 investors with more than AUD $103 trillion in assets under management.

Key objectives

Climate Action 100+ engages with 167 of the world’s largest greenhouse gas-emitting companies to push for net-zero commitments and improved climate-related disclosures. The initiative aligns with the Paris Agreement and focuses on:

• Corporate accountability: Ensuring companies set and meet net-zero targets.
• Enhanced disclosure: Encouraging transparent climate risk reporting.
• Policy influence: Highlighting financial risks of climate inaction to shape regulatory responses.

Through collective action, Climate Action 100+ has successfully influenced corporate climate commitments and public policy debates.

Investors Against Slavery and Trafficking APAC (IAST APAC)

Type of collaboration

Company engagement, investor statement, policy advocacy, ESG data and service provider engagement

Year of launch

2020

Membership

52 investors with AUD $12 trillion in assets under management

Key objectives

This investor-led initiative is focused on finding, fixing and preventing modern slavery and labour exploitation in the Asia Pacific region. It has two key workstreams:

• Investor advocacy: this workstream is related to advocacy, strengthening regulation in the region and sharing information for improved modern slavery risk management and incident response. This work includes engaging with a broader range of stakeholders, including research providers and standard setters, on core modern slavery metrics and how data and disclosure can improve our understanding of modern slavery risks within portfolios.
• Company engagement: this workstream involves collaborative investor-company engagement in the Asia-Pacific region. Collaborative engagement aims to maximise leverage, generate efficiencies and build knowledge. Investors join this workstream as either a lead or support investor, working within small group collaborations to engage certain companies selected from four initial sectors: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, technology and healthcare. Investors develop company engagement guidelines in accordance with the initiative’s engagement framework, which is based on the Find It, Fix It, Prevent It initiative run by CCLA Investment Management in the UK, which has been tailored to make it relevant to the Asia Pacific context.

Tobacco Free Portfolios

Type of collaboration

Issue-based collaboration, investment screening, corporate advocacy

Year of launch

2015

Membership

The Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge has attracted 215 signatories with total AUM of >US$18 trillion.

Key objectives

Tobacco Free Portfolios works to advance sustainable investing and public health by advocating for policies that exclude tobacco to be embedded into sustainable finance frameworks.

Tobacco Free Portfolios has driven over 200 major financial institutions to shift their investment policies, reinforcing the link between health, sustainability and responsible investment.

Votes Against Slavery

Type of collaboration

Investor voting initiative, corporate governance engagement

Year of launch

2022

Membership

Global coalition of institutional investors

Key objectives

Votes Against Slavery encourages investors to use their voting power at company AGMs to hold businesses accountable for human rights and modern slavery risks. The initiative focuses on:

• Ethical voting strategies: Encouraging investors to vote against companies that fail to address modern slavery.
• Corporate governance reform: Pushing for stronger human rights policies within board structures.
• Accountability and reporting: Ensuring that companies disclose their efforts in preventing forced labour and exploitation.

This initiative reinforces corporate responsibility on human rights by aligning investor expectations with governance and sustainability standards.

Mining 2030

Type of collaboration

corporate engagement, industry-wide sustainability initiative

Year of launch

2023

Membership

Membership of the Commission is multi-stakeholder including representatives from communities council, civil society, trade unions, companies and investors amongst others.

Key objectives

The overarching mission of the Commission is to develop a consensus about the role finance has in realising a vision of a socially and environmentally responsible mining sector overall by 2030 that:

• Has a clear social license to operate
• Can meet the needs of society in a responsible manner without driving conflict or corruption
• Operates in a way that respects planetary boundaries
• Positively contributes to social development and the environment, today and tomorrow

Investor Mining and Tailings Initiative (IMTSI)

Type of collaboration

ESG risk management, corporate engagement, industry-wide sustainability initiative

Year of launch

2019

Membership

Institutional investors and global mining industry stakeholders

Key objectives

IMTSI focuses on improving the mining industry’s management of tailings storage facilities, reducing environmental and social risks associated with mining operations. The initiative aims to:

• Enhance safety standards for tailings storage and waste management.
• Strengthen corporate disclosure and accountability on mining-related risks.
• Advocate for industry-wide sustainability commitments to prevent catastrophic failures.

IMTSI has played a key role in shaping mining safety regulations and increasing ESG scrutiny in extractive industries.

Find It, Fix It, Prevent It

Type of collaboration

Company engagement, policy advocacy, corporate accountability on modern slavery

Year of launch

2019

Membership

Led by CCLA, involving UK-based institutional investors and corporate stakeholders

Key objectives

Find It, Fix It, Prevent It is a UK-based investor initiative aimed at addressing modern slavery in corporate supply chains. The initiative focuses on:

• Encouraging corporate accountability: Engaging with companies to actively identify and remediate modern slavery risks in their operations and supply chains.
• Shifting corporate responses from risk management to action: Promoting a framework where businesses find instances of forced labour, fix issues through remediation, and prevent future occurrences through strengthened policies.
• Driving policy and regulatory improvements: Advocating for better modern slavery reporting requirements and engagement with standard setters.

Find It, Fix It, Prevent It has influenced corporate policies, shareholder engagement strategies, and investor-led pressure to ensure companies move beyond mere compliance to proactive human rights due diligence.

ASFI – Australian Sustainable finance roadmap

Type of collaboration

Multi-stakeholder initiative, financial sector collaboration

Year of launch

2019

Membership

Over 80 organisations, including major banks, insurers, superannuation funds, civil society organisations, and academic institutions

Key objectives

The Australian Sustainable Finance Initiative (ASFI) was established to develop a Sustainable Finance Roadmap aimed at realigning Australia’s financial system with the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the UN SDGs. The initiative focused on:

• Leadership and accountability: Encouraging financial institutions to embed sustainability into their purpose, strategy, and operations.
• Frameworks and standards: Developing guidelines to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into financial decision-making.
• Capability building: Enhancing skills and knowledge within the financial sector to effectively address sustainability challenges.
• Policy and regulation: Collaborating with regulators and policymakers to create an enabling environment for sustainable finance.

Through these efforts, ASFI aimed to facilitate the transition to a net-zero emissions economy, promote financial inclusion, and contribute to the achievement of the UN SDGs.

IGCC sector pathways for decarbonisation

Type of collaboration

Policy advocacy

Year of launch

2023

Membership

Institutional investors

Key objectives

IGCC engaged with various government stakeholders to advocate for the establishment of sector transition pathways to support Australia’s decarbonisation. The purpose of the engagement was to:

• Develop clear emissions pathways: Establish 1.5°C-aligned emissions reduction targets for key sectors to guide investment decisions and policy development.
• Enhance policy credibility and stability: Advocate for comprehensive and transparent sector-specific policies that provide long-term certainty for investors.
• Facilitate investor engagement: Encourage collaboration between investors, government, and industry to ensure that sector pathways are investable and support the transition to a net-zero emissions economy.
• Support just and orderly transition: Promote strategies that consider social implications, aiming for equitable outcomes across communities and workforces.

Conclusion

Investor collaborations have become essential for addressing systemic challenges. By working together, investors can amplify their influence, streamline engagement and drive meaningful policy and corporate change. This guide has outlined key factors for successful collaboration, including investor leadership, clear governance structures, transparency, active participation, and sufficient resourcing. Case studies from Climate Action 100+, IAST APAC, Votes Against Slavery, and Find It, Fix It, Prevent It amongst others, demonstrate how structured approaches can lead to measurable impact. However, challenges such as resource constraints, governance complexities, and regulatory concerns must be carefully navigated. To maximise effectiveness, investors should set clear goals, maintain open communication, and adopt structured engagement models that ensure accountability. Collaborative efforts must also be adaptive, balancing long-term strategic objectives with evolving market and regulatory landscapes. As global challenges continue to grow, investor collaborations will play an increasingly critical role in shaping sustainable financial markets and corporate accountability. By applying the insights from this guide, investors can create more impactful, resilient, and results-driven collaborations, reinforcing their role as key drivers of sustainable change.

Learn more

ACCC releases final guide on sustainability collaborations (ACCC Media release)

This guide is designed to increase businesses’ understanding of where competition law risks are not likely to arise when collaborating to improve sustainability outcomes. It also provides information on what exemptions are available for business collaborations.

PRI Annual report 2023: Investor initiatives and collaboration by Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI)

Outlines how PRI strengthened and broadened investor-led ESG collaborations, launched the Investor Initiative on Human Rights Data (II‑HRD), advanced climate data integration toward net‑zero goals and supported global policy engagement through the UNEP-financed Global Investor Statement on climate action.

Investor collaboration on sustainability by The PRI Podcast

This episode explores the role of investors and how they can collaborate for effective collective action. It includes the work of one of the leaders in sustainable investing and the biggest pension fund in Europe, APG. It invites investors to have an active voice in a sustainable recovery.

The PRI collaboration platform by PRI

The PRI Collaboration Platform is a unique forum that allows investors to amplify the impact of sustainability initiatives by exchanging best practices, pooling resources and connecting with like-minded peers. Posts include invitations to sign joint letters to companies and join investor-company engagements, proposals for research, calls to foster dialogue with policy makers and requests for support on upcoming resolutions and votes.

Applying the OODA loop for leadership and company engagement (Altiorem Expert Guide) by Paul Oosting, Rebecca Katz and Altiorem

Applying the OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) to investor coalitions strengthens collective ESG insight, cohesion and effectiveness which can transform collaboration into a rapid, iterative engine for sustainable finance impact. By repeating the loop, investor collaborations become more adaptive, strategically aligned and impact-driven: they speak a common language, respond faster to emerging risks or opportunities and reinforce each other’s sustainability efforts.

References

A-Team Insight (2024) Investor initiative aims to improve corporate human rights data Retrieved 11 November 2024

ASFI engagement platform

CCLA (2024) Find it, fix it, prevent it: Modern slavery report 2024 Retrieved 4 October 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/find-it-fix-it-prevent-it-modern-slavery-report-2024/

First Sentier Investors (2023) Constructive corporate engagements: From a corporate perspective Retrieved 18 August 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/constructive-corporate-engagements-from-a-corporate-perspective/

IAST APAC (2023) Core metrics for modern slavery action, disclosure, collection and publication Retrieved 11 November 2024

Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) (2023) Decarbonisation investment solutions for sectors: A discussion paper on Sector Transition Plans and their importance to investors Retrieved 6 September 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/decarbonisation-investment-solutions-for-sectors-a-discussion-paper-on-sector-transition-plans-and-their-importance-to-investors/

PRI (2019) Active ownership 2.0: The evolution stewardship urgently needs Retrieved 29 August 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/active-ownership-2-0-the-evolution-stewardship-urgently-needs/

PRI’s Advance platform

PRI’s Spring stewardship initiative

RIAA (2025) RIAA Policy Platform 2025: Harnessing sustainable finance for a thriving Australia Retrieved 10 May 2025 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/riaa-policy-platform-2025-harnessing-sustainable-finance-for-a-thriving-australia/

RIAA (2023) RIAA Policy Platform: Sustainable finance for a thriving Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 and beyond Retrieved 11 September 2024

The Investor Agenda (2024) New Global Investor Statement launches with the backing of hundreds of investors urging a whole-of-government approach to addressing the climate crisis Retrieved 12 October 2024

Tobacco Free Portfolios

Tobacco Free Portfolios (2020) Tobacco free portfolios: The toolkit 12th edition Retrieved 17 September 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/organisation/tobacco-free-portfolios/?ref=https%3A%2F%2Faltiorem.org%2Fresearch%2Ftobacco-free-portfolios-the-toolkit-12th-edition%2F

Tobacco-Free Portfolio’s pledge

UNFCCC (2015) Paris Agreement Retrieved 18 October 2024 Altiorem: https://altiorem.org/research/paris-agreement/

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Vote against slavery

Walk Free