Montreal, Quebec, March 18, 2025

Æquo, Quebec’s shareholder engagement leader, and the Quebec Emerging Managers Program (QEMP) are proud to announce a partnership that will make shareholder engagement practices accessible to the program’s emerging managers. This initiative will allow participating managers to benefit from Æquo’s expertise so that they can engage in constructive dialogues with the companies in their QEMP portfolios.

The agreement will allow QEMP managers to select securities from more than 120 companies in Æquo’s global engagement platform. Six firms have already confirmed their participation: BeeQuest, Clear Skies, Evovest, Nordis Capital, Nymbus and Tonus Capital.

“This strategic alliance with the QEMP aligns perfectly with our mission to democratize shareholder engagement and to multiply the impact of our dialogues through a pooled approach,’ said Isabelle Gagnon, Æquo’s Chief Executive Officer. “We’re delighted to collaborate with local asset managers so that they can incorporate engagement best practices from the outset of their journey.”

The QEMP is breaking ground by integrating shareholder engagement into its support ecosystem, an innovative approach among North American emerging manager programs. This initiative aligns fully with its objective of promoting Quebec’s financial entrepreneurship while offering institutional-level support.

“This transformative initiative positions the QEMP as a pioneer in promoting responsible investment practices to emerging managers,” said Isabel Trépanier, Principal, Program Management, QEMP and Investi. “By integrating shareholder engagement, our managers will have a competitive advantage in the eyes of institutional investors who are placing increasing importance on ESG factors in their manager selection processes.”

Shareholder engagement, which was traditionally the realm of mature institutional investors with substantial resources, offers emerging managers the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on companies’ practices. The partnership between Æquo and the QEMP will allow them to develop expertise that is increasingly sought after by institutional investors, thereby enhancing their attractiveness.

The participating managers are currently selecting the companies they wish to engage in dialogue with. Other managers are expected to join the initiative, expanding the reach and impact of this visionary and promising partnership.