Universal ownership – Exploring opportunities
and challenges

Mercer IC does its best to stay at the forefront of issues facing investors. Whenever possible, we are pleased to share this intellectual capital with our clients.

Mercer IC’s responsible investment team was engaged by St. Mary’s College in California to produce the attached report entitled: Universal Ownership: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges. The report discusses the concept of universal ownership and provides case studies of investors addressing externalities within their portfolio and potential actions for institutions.

The term “universal owner” has emerged to describe investors that own a small slice of the broad economy. These institutions, due to their size and diversification, have an interest in the overall long-term health of the economy, beyond the performance of any single company or portfolio. Thus, the theory follows, these same owners face greater risks from externalities and issues such as climate change, where inaction may benefit companies or sectors in the short term but could affect overall economic growth in the longer term if not addressed.

For more information on this document or related issues please contact Craig Metrick (craig.metrick@mercer.com, +1 212 345 1407) of Mercer IC’s responsible investment team.