Connect at a deeper level

Computer screen showing investment charts combined with young professionals meeting around an office table.

A woman is showing a man something on her computer screen.

What is ESG integration?

ESG integration is achieved when the evaluation and consideration of environmental, social and governance factors happens throughout the investment process. For NEI, the aim is to ensure that companies held in our funds have taken or are taking meaningful steps to manage the ESG risks they face.

We work closely with our sub-advisors to advance the integration of ESG considerations into their respective investment processes. We also partner with our sustainability-focused managers capable of identifying opportunities related to companies involved in providing business solutions to environmental and social challenges.

Evaluating ESG factors

We evaluate environmental, social and governance factors using a four-step process:

Identify sector-specific material ESG risks
Establish baseline expectations
Broad-based benchmarking
Headline risk assessment

Do you want to learn more about our exclusionary screens and other responsible investment strategies? Our responsible investment policy has more detail.

Responsible investment policy - PDF

Choose your fund

Many of our funds employ ESG integration as a responsible investment strategy, often in conjunction with exclusionary screens and active ownership. In the tables below, click anywhere in the highlighted row to visit the fund details page. You will find descriptions of the responsible investment strategies below the tables.

NEI Canadian Bond Fund

Guardian Capital

View fund

NEI Canadian Impact Bond Fund

Addenda Capital

View fund

NEI Global High Yield Bond Fund

Principal Global Investors

View fund

NEI Global Impact Bond Fund

Wellington Management

View fund

NEI Global Total Return Bond Fund

Amundi Asset Management

View fund

Fixed income

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Canadian Bond Fund		Guardian Capital Go to link
NEI Canadian Impact Bond Fund		Addenda Capital Go to link
NEI Global High Yield Bond Fund		Principal Global Investors Go to link
NEI Global Impact Bond Fund		Wellington Management Go to link
NEI Global Total Return Bond Fund		Amundi Asset Management Go to link

NEI Global Sustainable Balanced Fund

Impax Asset Management

View fund

Balanced

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Global Sustainable Balanced Fund		Impax Asset Management Go to link

NEI Canadian Equity RS Fund

QV Investors

View fund

NEI Canadian Small Cap Equity RS Fund

QV Investors

View fund

NEI ESG Canadian Enhanced Index Fund

NEI Investments

View fund

Canadian equity

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Canadian Equity RS Fund		QV Investors Go to link
NEI Canadian Small Cap Equity RS Fund		QV Investors Go to link
NEI ESG Canadian Enhanced Index Fund		NEI Investments Go to link

NEI U.S. Equity RS Fund

AllianceBernstein

View fund

U.S. equity

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI U.S. Equity RS Fund		AllianceBernstein Go to link

NEI Clean Infrastructure Fund

Ecofin Advisors

View fund

NEI Emerging Markets Fund

Columbia Threadneedle Investments

View fund

NEI Environmental Leaders Fund

Impax Asset Management

View fund

NEI Global Dividend RS Fund

Amundi Asset Management

View fund

NEI Global Equity RS Fund

Federated Hermes

View fund

NEI Global Growth Fund

Baillie Gifford

View fund

NEI Global Value Fund

Maj Invest

View fund

NEI International Equity RS Fund

Addenda Capital

View fund

Global and international equity

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Clean Infrastructure Fund		Ecofin Advisors Go to link
NEI Emerging Markets Fund		Columbia Threadneedle Investments Go to link
NEI Environmental Leaders Fund		Impax Asset Management Go to link
NEI Global Dividend RS Fund		Amundi Asset Management Go to link
NEI Global Equity RS Fund		Federated Hermes Go to link
NEI Global Growth Fund		Baillie Gifford Go to link
NEI Global Value Fund		Maj Invest Go to link
NEI International Equity RS Fund		Addenda Capital Go to link

NEI Select Income RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select Income & Growth RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select Balanced RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select Growth & Income RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select Growth RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select Maximum Growth RS Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Select RS Portfolios

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Select Income RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Select Income & Growth RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Select Balanced RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Select Growth & Income RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Select Growth RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Select Maximum Growth RS Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link

NEI Impact Conservative Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Impact Balanced Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Impact Growth Portfolio

NEI Investments

View fund

NEI Impact Portfolios

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Impact Conservative Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Impact Balanced Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link
NEI Impact Growth Portfolio		NEI Investments Go to link

NEI Long Short Equity Fund

Picton Mahoney Asset Management

View fund

Alternatives

Fund Name	Responsible investment strategy	Portfolio manager or sub advisor
NEI Long Short Equity Fund		Picton Mahoney Asset Management Go to link

Implementing our approach

There are five activities we undertake as part of our responsible investment program that have a direct connection to our funds: exclusionary screening, ESG evaluation, impact investing, thematic investing, and stewardship. For a more in-depth look at these activities and other aspects of our program, such as policy work and statements of commitment, check out our Responsible Investment Policy. To find out which approaches are applied to which funds, speak with your advisor or consult our fund prospectus.

Simplified Prospectus

RI Policy

Exclusionary screens

Companies are excluded from certain funds if we believe the risk of harm to society and the environment outweighs the potential benefits of investing. Examples include weapons manufacturing and tobacco production.

ESG evaluations

Companies are evaluated on their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, with results integrated into the investment process as we pursue long-term sustainable value for our investors.

Impact investing

In addition to financial returns, our impact funds aim to provide positive and measurable environmental and social outcomes. Among other objectives, investments held in the funds may seek to reduce carbon emissions, build low-income housing, and protect water resources.

Thematic investing

Some of our funds aim to generate returns from long-term trends expected to contribute to large-scale structural shifts in the economy, such as the need to better manage natural resources and the transition to cleaner energy sources.

Stewardship

Corporate engagement and proxy voting are tools we use to help companies improve their management of economic, natural and social capital, with the goal of growing long-term sustainable value.

Explore further

If you would like to stay on top of the latest trends in responsible investing, we can help.

View all insights

Diverse group of people in a line holding hands.

Focus on: human rights

Human rights are the backbone of our society and underpin our perspectives on fairness and equity, so it should be no surprise the topic remains a central theme of our engagements.

Read now

Focus on: inequality

We have long considered the implications of systemic inequality on communities, the workforce, and the business landscape. We will continue to prioritize the issue in our dialogues this year.

Read now

An advisor discusses financial matters with clients in a boardroom.

Collaboration opportunity between advisors and clients

CIO John Bai and Director of Corporate Engagement Jamie Bonham discuss the crucial role advisors can play in helping investors participate in the journey to net zero.

Aerial view of a river winding through Canada’s boreal forest.

Focus on: biodiversity

Read why biodiversity has become a major theme of our engagement in 2022.

View all insights

We partner with investment managers from around the world

When you invest with NEI, you get access to exceptional expertise and unique investment mandates. Our sub-advisors apply extensive experience and distinct investment philosophies to identify growth opportunities across diverse asset classes.

Meet our sub-advisors

*Formerly NEI Global Equity Fund.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.