University of Oregon
Endowment Value: $1.32 billion (2021)
The University of Oregon is a public research university located in Eugene, Oregon. The University of Oregon Foundation manages the endowment and is overseen by the Board of Trustees.
According to the Board’s Statement of Investment Principles, “The UO encourages its advisors and managers to include ESG factors in their analytical processes... [but ESG criteria] are only one factor in analyses and should not be used as exclusionary screens to eliminate specific entities or sectors from consideration.”
In the Fall of 2016, the UO Foundation announced it would begin transitioning away from fossil fuel investments. "We believe that green-energy initiatives — such as solar and wind power, sustainable forestry, and organic farming — will steadily replace investments in carbon-based fuel sources, and we do not have any investments in coal," said UO Foundation Chief Investment Officer, Jay Namyet.
Following this announcement, OU students and faculty organized a forum titled "Investing in the Age of Climate Change” to discuss the impact of climate change on businesses and investors. The panel took place in April of 2017.
The University of Oregon is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments:
- AASHE STARS: Yes, Gold
- ACUPCC: No
- Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
- CDP: No
- Committee on Investor Responsibility: No
- INCR: No
- Divestment Goal: Yes, full
- Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
- Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
- Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes, Statement of Investment Principles and ESG Factors in Investment Management
- Principles for Responsible Investment: No
Other Sustainable Investing Practices and Resources:
- Sustainability at the University of Oregon
- UO Divest Campaign protests University of Oregon Foundation Investments in Fossil Fuels (March 2016)
- IEN Blog: UO holds “Investing in the Age of Climate Change” Event (May 2017)