Our sustainable investment approaches

We believe that incorporating financially material sustainability factors into our investment process can help us to manage investment risks and can lead to opportunities for investment.

Our approach to sustainable investing is guided by our legal duty to act in the best financial interests of our members, our core set of investment principles and our Sustainable Investment Policy.

We use the following as part of our approach to sustainable investment:

  • Integration
  • Stewardship (engagement and proxy voting)
  • Exclusions (also known as screening), in limited cases

The approach we take can vary depending on the asset class and investment style. For some options, not all approaches to sustainable investment may apply. To learn more, read our Sustainable Investment Policy.

Download the Policy

How does that work?

We use external investment managers to invest most of our investment portfolio. For the asset classes that we consider are relevant, integration of sustainability factors is largely achieved through the selection of new external investment managers and monitoring existing external investment managers.

We undertake stewardship activities with companies through engagement and proxy voting. Due to the number of holdings, we cannot engage with all the companies in which we are invested. Where we do engage, we use the following methods: directly, collaboratively, or through a service provider.

We aim to vote at all company meetings on resolutions for which we are eligible to vote, with some exceptions as detailed in our Sustainable Investment Policy.

Launch icon See our proxy voting record history

Our Sustainable Investment Report 2024-25 provides further details of our approach and the outcomes and achievements for the financial year ending 30 June 2025.

Document icon Sustainable Investment Report 2024-25

Exclusions

We apply screening (exclusions) in limited circumstances. There are, however, some occasions where it may be considered appropriate to exclude certain investments. Details of the exclusions including the exceptions to these exclusions for applicable investment options are outlined in the QSuper Investment Guide.

What are sustainability factors?

There are a multitude of sustainability factors that could be financially material to our investments. The significance to an investment portfolio can depend on a range of variables, such as the specific company, its sector or the geographic location of the investment. Sustainability factors can include:

Environmental Social Governance
Climate change Health and safety Board independence
Nature and biodiversity Modern slavery Board and company diversity
Waste and pollution Labour standards Shareholder rights
Energy efficiency First Nations peoples' rights Executive remuneration

Our approach to climate change

Climate change represents one of the most significant financial risks and opportunities of our time. As a global investor we’re committed to doing our part towards investing in a low-carbon economy.

Our Sustainable Investment Policy outlines our approach to managing climate-related investment risks and opportunities in the investment portfolio. Recognising the risks and opportunities posed by climate change, we have a target of a net zero greenhouse gas emissions investment portfolio by 2050 (‘the NZE2050 Portfolio Target’).1

Four interim climate-related targets have been developed as milestones to measure progress in achieving the NZE2050 Portfolio Target.

Our Net Zero 2050 Roadmap

Our Net Zero 2050 Roadmap outlines our current climate-related transition plan to guide the investment portfolio towards our NZE2050 Portfolio Target.

We report on an annual basis progress made on our planned actions and interim climate-related targets.

Read the Net Zero 2050 Roadmap

Choose an option that's right for you

While we consider sustainable investment approaches across all investment options (except the Cash option), we offer the Socially Conscious Balanced option for members who prefer to invest in an option which has additional exclusions and an additional approach to sustainable investing.

The sustainable investment approaches of integration and stewardship also apply to this option, as relevant to the asset class and investment style. Sustainability-themed investing (thematic investing), where investments are selected to access specific trends, such as investment in climate-related opportunities, may also be used when selecting external investment managers for this option.

Find out if this option is right for you

Or learn more about our other investment options

1. Scope 3 category 15 (investments) emissions. PCAF (2022). The Global GHG Accounting and Reporting Standard Part A: Financed Emissions, Second Edition.