The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) reinforced its commitment to responsible and sustainable investing by enhancing its Responsible Investment (RI) framework.

The PPF has reinforced the framework to better define its new voting policies, ensure accountability and to further improve the way it monitors its external managers.

Martin Clarke, PPF executive director of financial risk, said: "Over the last three years we have seen a vast improvement in the way that our external managers are adopting RI. Thirty percent of our managers are now rated higher on their commitment to RI than when we first hired them.

"With our investment portfolio expected to rise to £22bn in the next three years, our commitment to responsible and sustainable ownership becomes even more important. That is why we have reinforced our framework."

The PPF will scrutinise and oversee stewardship activities, which are conducted on its behalf, more along with Hermes EOS, its voting and engagement supplier.

The organisation's statement of stewardship principles, which sets out how the PPF acts as a responsible owner of the companies in which it owns listed shares, has been published on its website.

First published 24.06.2013

monique_simpson@wilmington.co.uk