Socially responsible investment: can Quebec pension funds follow suit?

After reviewing and analysing the different types of socially responsible investment (SRI), and also after analysing Quebec's pension plan law, this article compares those types of investment with the pension committee's obligations. Subsequently, the author analyses the liability of a pension committee regarding its investment decisions. Each type of SRI asks for a specific conclusion regarding the risks of civil claims : some are much more problematic (and unlawful) than others. Broad SRI strategies, especially those integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into portfolio analysis, call for a positive conclusion, as long as ESG factors are taken into account to avoid mid-term and long-term financial risks. Nevertheless, even if civil daims against a pension committee regarding its investment decision are very hard to win, they are still achievable.