Divested?
Possibly. No direct investments, unclear whether they invest in arms via index funds.
FOI Request
Partially successful (missing information about indirect investment/index funds).
FOI Report
Dear ,
Thank you for your patience as I gathered the information for your Freedom of Information request.
I can confirm the College does not have any direct holdings in the companies listed. Peterhouse Endowment Fund does hold Unit and Investment Trusts which are compatible with our Statement of Investment Principles.
The College’s general approach to Marketable Securities;
The College does not invest directly in companies with more than 10% of their business in the fossil fuels, tobacco, pornography or gambling industries.
The College will have a preference for indirect investments in funds with a strong ESG track-record. The College will decline to invest in funds known to contain significant holdings (more than 10%) in the industries currently excluded from direct investment.
Specialist Managed Funds;
The College will decline to invest in funds which do not appear to operate in a transparent way or where there is significant uncertainty about exactly how investment returns are generated.
The College will not invest in funds which are known to have or considered likely in the future to have more than 10% of their investments in sectors excluded from the marketable securities portfolio.
Kind regards,
Justine Kent
College Data Protection Lead
On behalf of Dr Timothy K. Dickens, SIRO.
Investment Policy
Peterhouse Financial Statements (2024) and Endowment Fund Objectives
No mention of arms (despite mentioning ESG principles):
“Investment activity in marketable securities has incorporated Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into the selection of funds and direct equity investments. As part of its ESG commitment, the College has divested from all direct holdings in fossil fuel extraction companies and actively monitors the holdings of its funds (indirect investments) to identify and eliminate any meaningful underlying exposure to this sector. The College takes a similar approach to companies that operate in the tobacco, gambling or pornography industries. Peterhouse aspires to operate its endowment in line with the principle of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2038.”
Internal source says Peterhouse uses Church of England Responsible and Ethical Investment Policy as guidance.
Contacts
Senior bursar: Mr Ian Wright; bursar@pet.cam.ac.uk
Acting senior tutor: Dr James Carleton Paget; senior.tutor@pet.cam.ac.uk
Master: Professor Andy Parker; master@pet.cam.ac.uk