RIAA lauds leading responsible superannuation funds

Australian Ethical Investment, Australian Retirement Trust (ART), HESTA and Rest are among the top Responsible Super Fund Leaders in 2026 recognised by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA).

The others to receive recognition are AustralianSuper, Aware Super, CareSuper, Cbus Super, Equip Super, Hostplus, TelstraSuper and UniSuper.

RIAA said Responsible Super Fund Leaders represent the highest-scoring super funds assessed across governance, commitment, implementation, outcomes and transparency.

In the Responsible Investment Leaders category, some of the 47 fund managers to be recognised include Aoris Investment Management, Ausbil Investment Management, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, First Sentier Group, Impax, MFS Investment Management, Mirova, Pella Funds Management, Resolution Capital and U Ethical Investors.

For the 2026 Responsible Investors category, some of the standouts this year include Dexus, DNR Capital, Ellerston Capital, Federated Hermes, Firetrail, Loftus Peak, Northcape Capital, Platinum Investment Management and Wavestone Capital.

RIAA assesses Responsible Investment Leaders and Responsible Investors across four pillars covering commitment, ESG integration, stewardship and capital allocation.

Organisations recognised this year have demonstrated strong governance frameworks, systematic integration of ESG factors into investment decision-making, and transparent reporting on long-term outcomes and stewardship activities, including use of independent verification.

They have also contributed to higher standards across the market, such as more consistent disclosure practices, improved visibility of ESG risk management processes and clearer evidence of how responsible investment approaches are being implemented in practice.

RIAA unveiled the list at its 2026 annual conference held in Melbourne.

"Responsible investment is entering a more mature phase, where leadership is defined by what organisations do, not just what they say," RIAA co-chief executive Estelle Parker said.

"We're seeing leading organisations lean into transparency, governance and evidence, translating intent into practice through clearer disclosure, stronger reporting and the use of independent verification. That's building confidence for investors and strengthening trust across the market."