And being a good steward extends beyond our role as investment partner with our clients—it includes our roles as employer, corporate citizen, industry participant and thoughtful member of the global community.
Striving to constantly strengthen ourselves in each of these roles is reflected in a variety of initiatives—some new, some formed at our firm’s inception.
As long-term investors, we have seen the benefits of thoughtful analysis, acting faithfully on behalf of others, hard work and patience. We remain committed to applying these approaches as responsible stewards in every relationship we enter.
Brandes is committed to promoting inclusion and diversity. We especially value the benefits that diversity of thought and different experiences can bring to our work. We have a long history of seeking such diversity within our organization. Across our firm and in the different locations where we operate, we seek to establish a culture that values inclusion and diversity, provides equal opportunity for career development and meets or exceeds all of our obligations in these areas—including accessible workplaces, gender equality, and community involvement. We seek to hire and develop colleagues who bring a diverse perspective and rich life experiences and who share our long-term vision to build a strong and enduring firm. We are committed to making employment decisions that focus on a person’s qualifications, talents and potential contributions. We strive to create an inclusive environment in which employees feel empowered to share their perspectives and raise issues without fear of reprisal.
In the past, the firm and its partners have donated to various community-based charities where the firm operates. In August 2020, we established a donor-advised fund at The San Diego Foundation called the “Brandes Employees Community Investment Fund” (BECIF). Starting in 2021, the primary objective of BECIF is to make annual charitable grants to organizations focused on addressing social and environmental causes in communities where we have offices. We have established the BECIF Committee, a small committee of non-partner employees, to guide the grant recommendation process. We plan to grow the fund on an annual basis through contributions from the firm’s profits.
Over the years, the firm has moved to maximize a positive environmental impact. We work in a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building. We moved from printed subscriptions (newspapers/magazines) to online only. We recycle trash, ink and toner cartridges, upgraded coffee machines, phased out providing Styrofoam cups and have encouraged colleagues to use their own, reusable mugs. We donate books and equipment to schools. All conference rooms are set up with A/V equipment, so less paper is needed at meetings. We retired desktop printers and moved to centralized and more efficient multi-functional printers where duplex and black & white printing being the default. In 2019, we established a small group called the Brandes Green Task Force to identify areas where we can make additional, impactful changes. The firm has committed to a donation and investment of time and effort to San Diego’s Balboa Park to plant 25-30 trees there in November 2021. In addition, we became a signatory to the United Nations “Principles for Responsible Investment” (UN PRI) confirming that we incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into our investment process.
