Responsible business
Responsible employer
We strive to be a values-led organisation that attracts, develops and retains the best talent
Our Values and Code of Conduct
We have a fiduciary duty to our clients as managers of their financial assets. Our commitment to our clients is reflected in our Values and in the Code of Conduct which all employees formally sign, acknowledging how we must always act. We expect to be held accountable to our Values, as set out below, in all we do.
Client focus:
We think strategically and creatively to drive innovation in order to best serve our clients and other stakeholders.
Excellence:
We operate at the highest standards to deliver excellent results and manage risk for our stakeholders and the company.
Respect:
We are ethical, principled, respectful, collaborative and inclusive. We support our communities.
Integrity:
We actively identify opportunities to improve and are accountable for earning and keeping our stakeholders’ trust.
Our Global Code of Conduct includes adherence to specific client-related standards:
1. Delivering an outstanding client experience by exceeding expectations:
- We create a culture of client focus across the firm.
- We listen and respond to our clients.
- We recognise the privilege of being entrusted with our clients’ money.
2. Demonstrating a desire to deliver quality outcomes to clients:
- We strive to deliver outstanding client service through collaboration with others and maximising contributions.
- We are committed to building professional relationships to enable best outcomes.
- Everything we do is for our clients.
3. Demonstrating a quality service to clients by effectively managing firm-wide risk:
- We actively consider the clients’ best interests at all times.
- We recognise that risk management is everyone’s responsibility.
- We actively manage conflicts appropriately seeking best results and collaborating effectively for the benefit of our clients. Every employee’s performance is measured against our Values of Client Focus, Excellence, Integrity and Respect, with the Values reflected in appraisal and personal development plans, and an explicit link to our annual incentive reward cycle. This ensures we are rewarded not just for what we do, but how we do it.
Ensuring a diverse and inclusive culture
Increasing inclusivity and diversity throughout our employee population is one of our strategic imperatives. By creating an inclusive environment that values ideas and perspectives from a number of backgrounds, demands input and commends teamwork, we leverage the varied skills and insights of our people to generate our best investment thinking and business results.
Columbia Threadneedle Investments continues to partner with industry bodies including the Investment Association and The Diversity Project to share best practice and work collaboratively to improve diversity and inclusion within asset management.
Accelerating black inclusion
Throughout 2021 and 2022 we supported initiatives aimed at increasing the representation of Black people in financial services.
We were pleased to sponsor important research from think tank New Financial: Accelerating Black Inclusion – listening, learning, and taking action to increase racial diversity in senior roles across financial services.
This unique research is a collaboration with the #TalkAboutBlack campaign, focusing on the progression of Black colleagues into leadership positions in the UK finance sector.
Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM)
In 2022 we sponsored the inaugural BWAM conference. BWAM is a UK-based organisation of professionals working to advance the careers and retention of black women in the asset management industry.
Each year BWAM includes a 40 under 40 list. We are delighted that two of our have employees featured on the 40 under 40 list, which recognises inspiring and innovative professionals under the age of 40 who have shown leadership and demonstrated strong achievements in their careers.
Women in Finance Charter (WIFC)
Columbia Threadneedle signed the Women in Finance Charter in March 2016, becoming a founding signatory and the first asset manager to sign the Charter. Since then, we have worked to implement changes that drive improved gender balance across our EMEA business.
We actively measure gender balance initiatives and report to senior management on a regular basis to ensure we continue to make progress.
Read our latest WIFC annual update. Our gender pay gap reports can be found at the bottom of this page.
Policies / Reports
*This report relates to the asset management business of BMO acquired in EMEA in 2021, which traded formerly as BMO GAM EMEA and is now part of Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
