The world is engulfed in numerous environmental and social crises that require immediate attention by all stakeholders and corporations. Today, trillions of dollars are invested worldwide while considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Research and educational institutes require investors like any other business. Thus, they are obligated to create policies to meet and exceed investor and donor expectations.

GNI recognizes that public policies and regulations, changes in the geopolitical landscape, and financial and technological innovation can expose many forms of risk to investments. GNI policy will focus on energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, resource scarcity, biodiversity, land and water usage, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, human rights, and effective governance.

Short-sighted decisions to bypass human rights norms and environmental safety regulations have financial repercussions and can incur long-term liabilities. GNI investors and donors have the right to expect GNI trustees to adopt policies to ensure that profits are not made at the expense of human rights or the broader public good, including the mental health of students and the staff.

GNI is a non-profit ‘Public Foundation Trust’ that has a special duty to adopt investment and donor policies that consider ESG issues and leverage its power to keep GNI accountable for the impacts of its business practices. Satisfied investors and donors become a vehicle for furthering GNI’s mission of higher learning by promoting corporate social responsibility and avoiding the complicity in social malfeasance inherent in a passive investment strategy.

The ESG policy guidelines below will better fulfill GNI’s mission, fiduciary duty, and ethical obligations of world-class research and higher education:

Establish an ESG committee from diversified backgrounds to implement ESG policies.
Ensure Guru Nanak’s philosophy of equity, equality, compassion, morality, and justice for all remains the focus on all decisions.
Acknowledge traditional indigenous territory to cultivate strong relations with First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
Identify, develop and promote scalable and sustainable public policies and corporate engagement strategies to address systemic racism, social injustice and improve societal well-being.
Commit to achieving science-based net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030.
Ensure space, energy efficiency improvements in offices, and balancing the on-site and virtual delivery of GNI services.
Work with GNI clients and suppliers to help reduce emissions up and down its value chain and support efforts to decarbonize the economy.
Invest in high-quality carbon removal projects in areas such as forestry to cover any residual emissions that we are unable to avoid.
Ensure all investment decisions are made responsibly, seeking the maximum return – consistent with commercial prudence, integrity, and always mindful of Canadian Revenue Agency’s Charity Directorate’s guidelines.
Manage endowment funds strictly according to Canadian Charity Law to fulfill its charitable objectives and secure public benefits.
Develop trusted data for clearly measuring results and practical actions for people and technology to work together
Create value and determine the path for GNI success.
Ensure compliance with provincial and Canadian federal government laws and regulations.