Infrastructure: Inclusion and Diversity

Across the boards of the portfolio companies in our Global and Australian infrastructure portfolios, we have helped to drive a positive change in female representation from 19% in 2017 to 28% in 2022. 
This has largely been driven by IFM increasing female representation of its asset board nominees from 18% to 28% in the same period.

Common themes across our I&D approach to our portfolio companies include:

• Establishing and aligning data metrics and collection approaches,
• Expanding the scope of our I&D focus beyond gender,
• Recognising differences in I&D cultures across the global regions we invest in, and
• Working to expand our I&D approach to positively impact suppliers, communities and customers.

Our investee companies are responding in multiple ways to promote I&D considerations:

• In 2021 Anglian Water changed its leave policy to allow employees to swap Christian bank holidays with the dates that reflect their own religion.
• Ausgrid has implemented gender targets to help include more women at all levels of the organisation.
• NSW Ports, in conjunction with New South Wales Ministry of Health, launched an initiative to vaccinate approximately 1,500 crew members of 85 ships against COVID-19 in the 12 months to June 2022.