Julie Hudson’s three-member team at UBS repeats in third place. One U.K. asset manager describes the crew as “very experienced and thoughtful,” and especially appreciates the way the analysts integrate “environmental, social and governance [concerns] into the mainstream research processes.” Hudson, who works out of London, has been keeping clients informed of developments at Kingfisher that demonstrate the U.K.-based home improvement retailer’s commitment to environmental causes: For example, in March, the company launched Net Positive, a multifaceted program that shows customers how to create more energy-efficient homes. The program also addresses the company’s use of timber, because many of the products sold in Kingfisher stores are made of wood or wood fibers. Last year, 86 percent of those products were either made from recyclable materials or acquired from sustainable sources — that is, from distributors that reforest their properties — and the company hopes to raise that figure to 100 percent by 2020. — Carolyn Koo |
Economics & Strategy – Socially Responsible Investing: Third