Meritas Jantzi Social Index Fund wins SRI prize
December 4, 2008 by Timothy Jack Nash
Toronto, Canada — Vancity Credit Union took home the inaugural Green Company Award for Environmental Leadership at the Canadian Investment Awards gala Wednesday night at the regal Royal York Hotel. Given to the company who best combines environmental impact mitigation with economic bottom-line performance, the award was created in order to reward and communicate environmental leadership activities within Canada’s financial services industry. Given the difficulty of defining what it means for a company to be ‘Green’, the winner was selected by a diverse jury of experts in the environmental and financial fields. Vancity was praised for their work of integrating green methodologies into every level of their organization, and for successfully becoming carbon-neutral.
The Meritas Janzti Social Index Fund also celebrated a win, taking home the award for best Socially Responsible Investment fund. The fund received accolades for its transparency, disclosure, and strong financial performance. As well, the fund was applauded for its strong influence on corporate behaviour through shareholder resolutions and advocacy.
The awards ceremony, which focused on long-term investing, took great strides in lessing its environmental impact. Local food and drinks were served, and the evening’s festivities were powered by 100% renewable energy.