How technology is transforming stewardship: Impactive featured in ESG Investor

Investment stewardship is evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in technology and AI. In a recent article featured in ESG Investor, Mais Callan, Co-founder of Impactive, shared insights into how asset managers are leveraging innovative tools to enhance the efficiency and impact of their engagement and voting activities. With the growing complexities of stewardship, Impactive’s expertise highlights the crucial role of technology in helping asset managers navigate these challenges and meet rising expectations from clients and regulators.

The Shift Towards Technology in Stewardship

The volume of stewardship activity has increased significantly in recent years, reflecting a shift from manual processes to more sophisticated digital solutions. The days of recording engagements on spreadsheets are being replaced by the adoption of purpose-built platforms that streamline operations and improve reporting capabilities.

Mais Callan, Co-founder of Impactive, highlighted the increasing complexity of the stewardship landscape, with overlapping initiatives and extensive reporting obligations adding to the challenges. Platforms like Impactive are designed to simplify engagement tracking, analysis, and reporting, enabling asset managers to manage these demands with greater efficiency.

AI and Innovation: Transforming Engagement

AI is set to play a transformative role in modernising stewardship practices. It allows asset managers to analyse large volumes of data, identify ESG trends, and make better-informed decisions around voting and engagement. The article outlines how AI-powered tools are enhancing workflows, automating processes, and improving transparency.

For instance, AI is being used to standardise voting disclosures globally, while natural language processing helps to extract insights from complex datasets. These innovations enable asset managers to address stewardship challenges more effectively and deliver measurable results.

Improving Efficiency and Transparency

Technology is also driving improvements in proxy voting, making the process more transparent and accessible. Shareholder voting, which has traditionally been labour-intensive, is now increasingly automated, reducing administrative burdens and improving accuracy.

Platforms like Impactive empower asset managers to log engagements, track progress, and generate detailed reports, addressing the growing demand for measurable impact. As engagements evolve from disclosure-focused interactions to actionable outcomes, these tools are becoming essential for meeting regulatory and client expectations.

Balancing Innovation with Human Expertise

While technology is enhancing efficiency, human interaction remains a critical component of stewardship. The best results are often achieved by combining innovative tools with meaningful human engagement. However, challenges persist, as some organisations are slow to adopt new technologies, often due to resistance to change or resource constraints.

Conclusion

The integration of technology and AI is revolutionising investment stewardship, enabling asset managers to address complex challenges while improving transparency and efficiency. Platforms like Impactive are at the forefront of this transformation, helping asset managers navigate the complexities of modern stewardship with ease. As the industry continues to evolve, embracing innovation will be key to achieving better outcomes for both investors and society.

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To access the full ESG Investor article, click here.