Cazenove Capital appointed to manage endowment assets for University of Nottingham

Cazenove Capital has today announced it has been appointed by the University of Nottingham to manage its £59.4 million endowment portfolio and £9.5 million medium-term investment fund, as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to sustainability.

Cazenove Capital’s investment focus will be significantly weighted towards environmental, social and governance issues and delivering a positive impact.

This builds on the University’s sustainability strategy, developed in consultation with staff and students, which is committed to making an outstanding contribution in to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The University is widely known for its commitment to sustainability, achieving its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target in 2020. It has set further targets in line with the Paris Agreement. 

A leader in sustainable investment, Cazenove Capital is well-aligned to the University’s strategic goals. The investment manager will focus on helping the University divest from unethical areas, as well as providing opportunities to make positive investments.

The equity strategy generates three times the social benefit of a global equity index through activities such as medicine provision, fair wages and innovation, as well as a reduction of 5,600 metric tonnes of carbon – the annual energy use of 655 homes.

Kate Rogers, Head of Sustainability at Cazenove Capital, said:

“We are delighted to work with the University of Nottingham. The endowment will be invested in a multi-asset portfolio that avoids harm – with no exposure to fossil fuels and a Paris aligned investment strategy – and actively creates a positive impact for people and the planet. 

“Over a quarter of the portfolio will be invested in companies that make a material contribution to the SDGs. This active investment approach is combined with a commitment to collaborate with investors and use our influence to accelerate change towards more sustainable economies.”

Margaret Monckton, Chief Financial Officer at the University of Nottingham, said:

 “The University has always maintained that it is not willing to invest in organisations which demonstrate harm - this appointment will also enable to look at where we can make investment for good. It will also help the University quantify the non-financial impact of investments using Schroders’ award winning tool, SustainEx. Better reporting will help us to track our progress towards our strategic objectives.

“We are confident that Cazenove Capital, and the wider Schroders Group, align with our own stance on climate change and ethical investment. We are pleased to see that they have committed to mitigating their carbon emissions to delivering 100% renewable energy use by 2025 and to transition their assets under management to Net Zero by 2050.”