CNS-Responsible-Investing 2024 - Flipbook - Page 51
Oversight and Governance
Cohen & Steers maintains a comprehensive
governance structure to provide oversight across
critical areas of the business, including investment
strategy, risk management, and ESG integration.
This structure helps ensure that decision-making
remains aligned with our 昀椀duciary responsibilities and
corporate objectives.
• Executive Committee
The Executive Committee provides top-level
governance across all business functions and
ensures that operational execution aligns with
strategic goals. In 2024, the committee reviewed
the ESG market landscape and our strategic plan,
discussing implications for the 昀椀rm and advancing
corporate responsibility initiatives related to
climate, culture, and people.
• Investments Operating Committee (IOC)
The IOC plays a central role in ESG-related
investment governance by bringing together
senior leaders including the CEO, CIO, and COO of
Investments. It oversees the 昀椀rm’s ESG integration
e昀昀orts and proxy voting practices. Over the past
year, the committee reviewed how ESG is embedded
in investment processes, updated internal guidance
to re昀氀ect enhancements in our proprietary ESG
scoring system, and ensured our approach remained
data-driven, aligned with market standards, and
consistently applied across strategies.
• Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and
Investment Risk Committee (IRC)
The ERM Committee identi昀椀es, monitors, and
mitigates 昀椀rmwide risks, including operational,
regulatory, and market-related exposures. Working
in tandem, the IRC provides independent oversight
of investment allocations, and risk exposures. Over
the past years, these committees collaborated
to monitor ESG scores at both the portfolio and
benchmark level and led discussions on market
conditions to maintain a disciplined investment risk
oversight framework.
• Responsible Investing Steering Committee
This committee drives the 昀椀rm’s responsible
investing strategy, ensuring progress on investment
objectives and corporate responsibility priorities.
In 2024, it played a key role in shaping the 昀椀rm’s
future responsible investing roadmap and
advancing internal coordination by synthesizing
input from the Executive Committee and Board
discussions. These e昀昀orts ensured that ESG-related
decisions were re昀氀ected consistently across the
organization.
• Proxy Committee
This committee is responsible for overseeing the
development and application of proxy voting
policies and ensures compliance with 昀椀duciary
standards and internal protocols. In 2024, the
committee conducted a thorough review of the
昀椀rm’s proxy voting framework, updated processes
as needed and analyzed our voting records to
maintain a materiality-driven approach.
• External Review Process
Pursuant to SEC Rule 206(4)-1 and in partnership
with an external consultant, we conduct evaluations
of the 昀椀rm’s compliance policies and procedures
relative to regulatory expectations and peer
standards. In 2024, we assessed 昀椀rmwide processes
to ensure that governance and compliance remain
at the highest level. The review supports ongoing
enhancements in regulatory alignment and
operational risk oversight.
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