WHEB

Level 1 Statement of Progress, submitted June 2021

Our Commitment

We recognize the crucial role every business must play in creating a Future-Fit Society – one that is environmentally restorative, socially just and economically inclusive – and we are committed to playing our part.

We aspire to become a Future-Fit Business because we believe that our long-term success is tied to the value we provide to society. That means we must eliminate all of the potential negative impacts associated with what we buy, what we sell, and what we do.

In particular, as an investment business, we commit to becoming a net zero carbon business by 2025 at the latest. We also recognise that WHEB, along with the financial services sector as a whole, does not reflect the gender and ethnic diversity of the communities that we serve. This is an industry-wide challenge and we commit to doing all we can to address this.

In addition, we will seek to create positive impact wherever we can, to speed up society’s transition to future-fitness through our own actions and by assisting others on the journey.

As an asset management business our greatest impact is through the investment strategies we offer our clients. Sustainability will always sit at the heart of our investment proposition. We deliver this by investing in companies that provide solutions to critical sustainability challenges. These companies enable the transition to a zero carbon and more sustainable economy through the products and services that they sell.

We will lead by example and encourage other businesses to do the same by sharing our progress annually, beginning with this disclosure.