Materiality
A focus on what matters most
Our Materiality Map is our roadmap for navigating our sustainability strategy. It is comprised of a list of material topics, ranked in order of importance by our stakeholders, as gathered from a survey in 2017. The topics were selected based on SASB’s standards for the asset management and custody activities industry, and the approach recommended by the GRI. Although all seven topics are material to our business, Business Ethics is the most material according to our employees, management, and Board.
We believe materiality can be dynamic. New topics can surface over time and others can bubble to the top in terms of strategic opportunities and risk mitigation. Moving away from the structure of our several previous corporate sustainability reports, this year we are choosing to highlight, in depth, the areas that commanded the most of our attention and where we made the most progress. Those topics are Net Zero, which is related to ESG Integration in Financial Analysis and Operations & Supply Chain, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion which we consider a Human Capital Management priority. We also include a high-level summary of the continuing efforts and progress made in the additional categories later in the report.
Sustainability Factors and Focus Areas
Business Ethics
Continuing enhancements to compliance efforts; Implementing sound governance policies with a long-term focus; Remaining committed to disclosure and transparency
Human Capital Management
Enhancing our commitment to professional development; Ongoing efforts to improve employee engagement; Establishing a road map to drive employee diversity/inclusion; Committing to employee wellness and work-life balance
Client Experience
Ongoing monitoring and measurement of client satisfaction; Improving client communication and reporting; Expanding client-based events
Risk Management
Ongoing focus on data security policies and training; Continuing enhancements to enterprise risk management and oversight; Conducting regular independent third-party audits
ESG Integration in Financial Analysis
Continuing enhancements to ESG research and issuer engagement; Ongoing ESG and sustainability-related thought leadership; Remaining committed to ESG-related partnerships and collaborations
Corporate Citizenship
Expanding employee participation in our Ambassador Program; Continuing to increase volunteer hours and employee participation; Remaining committed to charitable giving
Operations & Supply Chain
Analyzing sustainability in vendor selection and management; Assessing the environmental impact of our internal operations; Reducing each employee’s environmental impact
DISCLOSURES:
GRI 102-44
GRI 102-47
TCFD Risk Management A