Kingston Council Responsible Investment Policy

This Council notes:

the Pension Fund Panel’s decision on September 17 2025, to review and strengthen the Responsible Investment Policy and its agreement, having identified its directly held investments, to consider options to divest from and actively not invest in companies on the UN OHCHR List;
the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund model as an example;
the direct precedent set by other pension funds, such as the Danish Teachers' Pension Fund (Lærernes Pension), which have already divested from companies found to be complicit in violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and
that other UK Local Government Pension Scheme pools, such as the Brunel Pension Partnership, have adopted detailed responsible investment policies that include specific commitments on human rights, demonstrating a clear pathway for pooled funds to manage these issues.

that a strengthened Responsible Investment Policy, with clear and robust exclusion criteria, is the most effective way to provide a clear mandate to the London CIV and fulfil the democratic will of the Full Council; and
that this policy-strengthening work must be completed in a timely manner to maintain public confidence and ensure prompt action.

that the final, strengthened Responsible Investment Policy will be reported back latest at the 19th March Corporate and Resources Committee and thereafter to the next meeting of Full Council; and
that the Pension Panel reports regularly on progress on the recommendations of the Task and Finish group, agreed by the Pension Panel on 17 September 2025 to the Corporate and Resources Committee.