We recognize, however, that the market is in constant evolution and what influences long-term performance today could be different from what would have triggered a long-term performance 30 years ago. As an example, the environmental, social or governance (ESG) policy of a company can impact its long-term financial results. A poor performance in that regard could lead, among other things, to regulatory sanctions, a shift in demand for the company’s products or services and a lack of appetite from investors, which would all impact directly on the company’s stock valuation.
Given our bottom-up approach focused on acquiring a deep understanding of the business in which we are investing, our investment professionals spend a lot of time assessing all the business risks and opportunities, including those related to ESG. While the matter of governance has always been a topic at the core of analysis, environmental and social considerations gained in importance in our analysis over the recent years and are now fully integrated in our investment process. We use SASB materiality map to align our risk focus with market best practices.
Van Berkom Unveils its First ESG Annual Report
We are proud to share with you our first ESG Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 2023.
View the complete report
Responsible Investment Policy
Van Berkom’s Responsible Investment Policy covers all of our investment strategies and provides a framework for our responsible investment approach and the integration of financially material ESG factors throughout the investment process and our stewardship activities. Given our commitment to evolve continuously, we expect this policy to change over time and, therefore, we subject it to annual reviews.
Responsible Investment PolicyProxy Voting Policy
Van Berkom believes that shareholder value is enhanced and preserved with the fair treatment of all the company stakeholders. The Board of Directors and the company’s corporate governance standards and practices play a central role toward achieving this goal as broadly expressed and actively promoted by the Institute for Good Corporate Governance for Private and Public Organizations (“IGOPP”) and the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance (“CCGG”).
The main factors we consider when using our proxy voting rights are the:
- Composition of the Boards of Directors
- Executive Compensation
- Takeover Protection
- Shareholder Rights
UN PRI Signatory
Van Berkom is a UN PRI signatory since 2019, which means that we commit to respect the six underlying principles:
- To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes;
- To be an active investor and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices;
- To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
- To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry;
- To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
- To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles
UN PRI Signatory
Van Berkom is a UN PRI signatory since 2019, which means that we commit to respect the six underlying principles:
- To incorporate Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes;
- To be an active investor and to incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices;
- To seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest;
- To promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry;
- To work with the PRI Secretariat and other signatories to enhance their effectiveness in implementing the Principles;
- To report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles