LMU Leads the Way on Responsible Investment

MISSION AND MINISTRY | During the summer of 2017, Loyola Marymount University became the first Jesuit Catholic University in the United States to sign onto the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment.

The PRI, the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment, works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance factors. LMU is proud to be a signatory, and aspires to incorporate the PRI principles into its own endowment-related investment policies and practices over time.

“I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made so far on responsible investing,” said Caroline Wilhelm, the university treasurer. “It has been an incredibly positive experience working directly with the Jesuit Community and our students on this important topic.”

This action can be largely attributed to the AJCU Ignatian Colleagues Program at LMU. Under the guidance of Robert V. Caro, S.J., Wilhelm participated in this robust leadership program and learned how to integrate Ignatian heritage, values, and practices into her work.

Wilhelm then applied her teachings to facilitate a two-year discernment process on campus regarding responsible investing. Various trustees, administrators, student groups and Jesuit community members actively engaged to explore this important topic together. The successful outcome, being the first Jesuit-Catholic university PRI signatory, has set the LMU endowment on an even more-focused strategy toward social justice and environmental sustainability.

“I look forward to continuing our work together as we head further down this path, and am excited to have Emily Simso ’17 on board as our very first responsible investment associate,” Wilhelm said.

For more information regarding the PRI, please visit https://www.unpri.org/.

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