Customer Stories
How Dutch Asset Manager PGGM Built the Infrastructure for Its Modern Stewardship Practice
As stewardship becomes increasingly embedded across investment organizations, the challenge is no longer simply deciding what to engage on — it is ensuring teams can coordinate, govern and report on stewardship consistently at scale. For PGGM, stewardship is a fundamental part of its 3D Investing philosophy, balancing risk, return and sustainability to create long-term value for beneficiaries. As stewardship responsibilities expanded across the organization, so too did the need for a stronger operational infrastructure.
By implementing the Glass Lewis Engagement Management Platform (EMP), PGGM has created a central stewardship operating environment that enables teams to collaborate more effectively, improve their governance processes and streamline reporting, while laying the groundwork for better and more informed stewardship through connected data sharing.
By implementing the Glass Lewis Engagement Management Platform (EMP), PGGM has created a central stewardship operating environment that enables teams to collaborate more effectively, improve their governance processes and streamline reporting, while laying the groundwork for better and more informed stewardship through connected data sharing.
"In becoming a 3D investor, engagement responsibilities now extend across the organization. Glass Lewis EMP enables us to effectively manage the increased volume and complexity of engagements. Engagements can be more easily coordinated, insights shared, and reports generated for our clients."
Andres van der Linden
Senior Stewardship Specialist, PGGM
Senior Stewardship Specialist, PGGM
About the Client
PGGM
PGGM manages €256.5 billion (US$ 296.2 billion) on behalf of Dutch pension funds. Central to its investment approach is 3D Investing — an investment philosophy built around balancing risk, return and sustainability to create long-term value.
That philosophy places stewardship at the center of PGGM's asset management activities and its commitment to clients. Rather than existing as a standalone ESG function, stewardship increasingly connects investment professionals, stewardship specialists and sustainability experts across the organization.
PGGM's stewardship work spans themes including climate change, nature, human rights and health. The organization also contributes to collaborative investor initiatives including Climate Action 100+, Nature Action 100+, the Net Zero Engagement Initiative and the Investor Policy Dialogue on Deforestation.
That philosophy places stewardship at the center of PGGM's asset management activities and its commitment to clients. Rather than existing as a standalone ESG function, stewardship increasingly connects investment professionals, stewardship specialists and sustainability experts across the organization.
PGGM's stewardship work spans themes including climate change, nature, human rights and health. The organization also contributes to collaborative investor initiatives including Climate Action 100+, Nature Action 100+, the Net Zero Engagement Initiative and the Investor Policy Dialogue on Deforestation.
The Challenge
Expanding stewardship is not simply about conducting more engagements. For many investors, it also requires enhanced coordination, progress monitoring and reporting across multiple teams. As PGGM's stewardship responsibilities became more integrated throughout the organization, its operational demands evolved alongside them. The firm identified several priorities to support a more connected stewardship model:
The Solution
Rather than adapting generic workflow software, PGGM sought technology designed specifically around institutional stewardship. The Glass Lewis Engagement Management Platform provided a way to centralize engagement information while preserving the flexibility required for a continually evolving stewardship program.
The firm also uses Glass Lewis Viewpoint for proxy voting and looks forward to continued integration between the two solutions. PGGM values the partnership with Glass Lewis, including a smooth implementation process, responsiveness to feedback and ongoing product development that supports the collaborative relationship between the firms.
The firm also uses Glass Lewis Viewpoint for proxy voting and looks forward to continued integration between the two solutions. PGGM values the partnership with Glass Lewis, including a smooth implementation process, responsiveness to feedback and ongoing product development that supports the collaborative relationship between the firms.
1
Engagement Management Platform
The EMP now acts as PGGM's central stewardship operating platform. Across multiple teams, it supports the recording of engagement activities, progress tracking against objectives, coordination across themes, internal information sharing and reporting to stakeholders.
2
Viewpoint and Connected Stewardship Data
Through Viewpoint and emerging workspace data sharing capabilities, PGGM expects stewardship information to move more efficiently between internal workspaces and the Dutch Climate Coalition initiative's workspace, while preserving governance and reducing administrative effort around data sharing and reporting.
Summary of PGGM's Stewardship Operating Model
EMP helps PGGM move from individual stewardship activities to a more connected operating environment. More specifically, the platform supports:
Areas of Relevance
Recording
Engagement initiatives and relevant interactions.
Tracking
Associated engagements and monitoring progress over time.
Coordinating
Stewardship activity across themes including climate change, nature, human rights and health.
Sharing
Information internally and across EMP workspaces.
Reporting
More reliable engagement disclosures for stakeholders and quarterly reporting cycles.
The Results
For PGGM, the EMP's high customizability and intuitive workflows have strengthened the organization’s ability to execute its stewardship strategy consistently and confidently across teams. Rather than simply storing engagement records, the platform helps create a connected stewardship workflow that supports better collaboration, stronger governance and more informed reporting. Key benefits include:
Collectively, these improvements allow stewardship professionals to dedicate more time to engagement itself, rather than the administration surrounding it.
"The Engagement Management Platform is an intuitive solution that enables PGGM to effectively implement, manage and report on our stewardship program, which spans multiple internal teams and topics."
Andres van der Linden
Senior Stewardship Specialist, PGGM
Senior Stewardship Specialist, PGGM
Looking to the Future
The expectations placed on stewardship teams continue to grow. Investors must increasingly coordinate activity across investment teams, sustainability specialists and collaborative initiatives while providing greater transparency to clients and beneficiaries.
Meeting those expectations requires more than strong stewardship policies. It requires infrastructure. For PGGM, the Engagement Management Platform provides that operational foundation — helping translate stewardship ambition into structured coordination, stronger governance and more informed reporting.
Meeting those expectations requires more than strong stewardship policies. It requires infrastructure. For PGGM, the Engagement Management Platform provides that operational foundation — helping translate stewardship ambition into structured coordination, stronger governance and more informed reporting.