UN Principles for Responsible Investment: Fig leaf or olive branch?

The UN recently set out its Principles for Responsible Investment, which have caused some controversy. Here we discover what all the fuss is about

Earlier last year, the United Nations caused something of a stir with the launch of its Principles for Responsible Investment - now known as the UN PRI. Many industry practitioners welcomed the principles as a sensible, pragmatic and investor-focussed step in the right direction. However, some campaigners dismissed the initiative out of hand, claiming that it was little more than a marketing fig leaf for irresponsible financial institutions. This article is intended to shed some light on these UN principles. What are they? Why the controversy? How are they shaping the investment landscape?...