The ACT List 2026 revealed - 43% growth in Signatories
Think tank and advocacy group City Hive is proud to announce further expansion in the number of ACT Signatories as we head into 2026, demonstrating increasing industry commitment to embrace transparency in corporate culture and value.
Compiling The ACT List, we are pleased to announce Signatories have grown to 40 over the past year representing £13trn in AUM.
Twelve new names have joined in the last year, with six asset managers joining since the publication of the mid-year ACT 2025 list in July 2025: Aberdeen Investments, Candriam, Comgest, Loomis Sayles, River Road and Royal London Asset Management.
Emma Wall, chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown and chair of the ACT Stewardship Council, commented on the recent growth in Signatories: “I am pleased to share that 2025 was another year of growth for ACT Signatories – with the number of dedicated asset managers continuing to expand.
“These firms are committed to transparency with their clients. They understand that strong corporate culture and embedded values are synonymous with generating alpha, retaining talent and supporting the foundations of their businesses. These firms have realised that profit and purpose are aligned.
“Fund selectors using the ACT Framework report that the conversations they are having with asset managers over the last year have evolved significantly around the subject of culture – and not just firms that are ACT Signatories. Increasingly, the industry is realising how not prioritising culture will impact their business.”
*(Date) joined as ACT Signatory Member
*2025 firms highlighted
Growth in ACT Signatories:
2023
12 Signatories
£4.8trn AUM of Signatory firms
2024
17 Signatories
41.66% growth in Signatory firm numbers
£5trn AUM of Signatory firms
2025 (H1)
28 Signatories
64.7% growth in Signatory firm numbers
£6.6trn AUM of Signatory firms
2025 (End of year)
40 Signatories
42.85% growth in Signatory firm numbers
£13trn AUM of Signatory firms
The ACT Corporate Culture Standard is a disclosure framework that is providing a standardised way for investment companies to understand, create and progress cultural change - and be able to communicate progress effectively via reporting. The Signatory firms are contributing to a growing body of data on firm approaches and industry practice.
The ACT Stewardship Council of fund gatekeepers (responsible for over £2trn in assets under advice, which monitor firms joining or leaving the list), is looking forward to seeing which firms commit to be the first 50 Founding Signatories.
The new Signatories commented on their commitment to ACT:
Renato Guerriero, deputy CEO - global development & distribution, chief sales & distribution officer at Candriam: “At Candriam, we believe that a strong responsible culture rooted in purpose, values, and equitable opportunities are essential to driving better outcomes - for our clients, our colleagues, and our industry. Joining City Hive’s ACT List reflects our commitment to turning these values into measurable actions and contributing to meaningful change across the investment ecosystem.
“This pledge aligns strongly with our mission to create a fair, inclusive, and empowering workplace for all. We look forward to collaborating with fellow signatories and continuing to raise expectations around transparency, accountability, and cultural standards to build a more resilient and sustainable investment industry.”
R. Andrew Beck, CEO at River Road Asset Management: “Our firm’s culture is central to everything we do. Becoming an ACT Signatory reflects our commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and continuous improvement, giving clients confidence that our values are reflected in how we operate.”
Chris Yiannakou, managing director at Loomis Sayles Investments Limited: “Guided by our IDEALS – values that emphasise inclusion, respect, collaboration, accountability and a solutions-based mindset – Loomis Sayles is proud to become an ACT Signatory. As a trusted partner to our clients and global stakeholders, we believe transparency and a strong culture are essential to delivering long-term value and building enduring relationships.”
Ed Venner, chief client officer, Royal London Asset Management: “Becoming a Signatory to ACT reflects our belief that a strong culture is fundamental to delivering good outcomes for our clients. Being an integral part of the customer owned mutual society Royal London, creates the bedrock of our purpose driven culture. Transparency, collaboration, and inclusivity are the foundations that enable our colleagues to make better decisions for the benefit of the clients we work together to serve.”
John McCareins, chief client officer, Aberdeen Investments: “Building a strong culture is one of our strategic priorities as a business, and something we see as central to creating client-focused, sustainable, long-term success. Inclusion is at the heart of our culture, and we seek to promote high standards of transparency and a focus at every level of the business to make sure that every colleague who works at Aberdeen can be at their best and deliver the best outcomes for our clients.
“Becoming an ACT Signatory is a natural step in reflecting that commitment.”
Signatories on The ACT List have committed to:
Annually completing ACT reporting on the DOOR platform, enabling the Framework to be used as a tool to assess, measure and catalyse progress on culture.
Senior accountability towards policy, action and practice that supports alignment of internal values and external commitments relating to inclusive culture.
Demonstrable evidence that value creation and stewardship of wealth is in responsible hands because they are a responsible business.
Embracing the opportunity to share ACT disclosures with clients, share ACT status and the ACT Mark with stakeholders via media, website, factsheets etc.
Update progress (at least) annually.
To view Signatories for previous years:
City Hive publishes The ACT List twice a year in response to feedback from the ACT Stewardship Council who view the ACT Standard as a ‘hygiene factor’ when selecting investments.
Notes:
For more information on ACT, interview opportunities and photos please email: nataliekenway@cityhive.co.uk or visit the City Hive Press Centre.
For more information on ACT: https://www.investorsact.com/
Or for the Stewardship Council: https://www.investorsact.com/stewardship-council
For more information on City Hive: https://www.cityhive.co.uk/
CEO Letter
At the time of launching ACT in 2022, City Hive wrote to over 100 fund group CEOs to say investment firms are neglecting to support their most valuable assets, their employees, and asking them if they want to be the leader that is forced to make changes, or the leader that is part of the solution investing in creating a long-term, positive, impact on the industry.
The ACT Framework is comprised of three key pillars, each with three components:
