Octagon has been a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since 2020. As a signatory, we are committed to upholding the PRI's six Principles, including reporting on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

Principles for Responsible Investment    

Click here to view Octagon's 2025 Public Transparency Report

Octagon believes that analyzing sustainability factors can enhance our ability to assess a borrower’s creditworthiness, and thus we have integrated sustainability-related considerations into the credit research and risk monitoring processes. 

  • Octagon does not typically negatively screen investment opportunities, however, at the request of certain clients, Octagon has implemented restrictions to meet the client’s sustainability-related requirements.1 
  • Octagon’s Investment Research Professionals utilize various information sources to evaluate sustainability considerations as part of their credit diligence process for most new loan and bond purchases. Material sustainability considerations must be disclosed in written credit memos when presenting an investment recommendation to the Investment Committees.
  • As of October 2021, Octagon contracts with the IFRS Foundation to license and use the SASB Standards Disclosure Topics to help standardize the diligence process when evaluating financially material sustainability-related considerations for issuers across different sectors.
  • Octagon is a supporter of the Integrated Disclosure Project ("IDP"). We seek to promote completion of the IDP Template by borrowers in our marketplace, and have incorporated the use of the IDP Template as part of the investment due diligence process for corporate borrowers.

Click here to view Octagon's Sustainability Governance Policy

1. Octagon serves as a sub-investment manager to at least one Client domiciled in the European Economic Area (“EEA”) that complies with requirements under Article 8 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (“SFDR”) designed and managed to promote sustainability objectives and has established a SFDR and sustainability Integration Framework. Additionally, at the request of certain Clients, Octagon has implemented restrictions to meet the Clients’ sustainability-related requirements. Otherwise, Octagon has not initiated any other strategies or funds that are intended to be “sustainability compliant” or are designed or managed to promote sustainability objectives. 

Stewardship and Engagement Efforts

Octagon strives to contribute to the broad improvement of responsible investment (RI) practices by working with our investors in support of their own sustainability-driven initiatives and reporting requirements, engaging with management teams to enhance our Investment Team’s ability to analyze sustainability-related risks and opportunities presented by the issuers in which we invest, encouraging such issuers to improve their sustainability risk management, be more transparent, and develop more sustainable business practices, and actively participating in industry-wide efforts to promote sustainability and RI across the loan and CLO markets. 

Click here to read Octagon’s Stewardship and Engagement Policy

When in the best interest of Octagon or our clients, we will seek to engage in formal collaborative engagements, such as the following initiatives prompted by the PRI:

Governance and Accountability 

  • Octagon’s Sustainability Committee is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Firm’s sustainability governance policy and for evaluating the Firm’s progress with respect to sustainability-related matters. Octagon’s Sustainability Committee includes members of the Investment, Compliance and Investor Solutions teams.
  • Sean Gleason (Senior Portfolio Manager) and Erin Crawford (Managing Director, Head of Investor Relations) serve as Co-Chairs of Octagon’s Sustainability Committee. They are also members of the CHL Sustainability Leadership Group, which was formed to deliver "top-down" consistency, governance and leadership on sustainability-related issues and climate risk efforts across CHL operations (including Octagon and other Conning affiliates).

CarbonNeutral® Company Certification

In 2021, Conning Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, including Octagon (together, “Conning”) achieved CarbonNeutral® Company certification indicating that the firm’s net greenhouse gas emissions are zero for a defined duration. Conning is certified carbon neutral through the use of high-quality instruments, in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol and the GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance. All credits adhere to standards approved by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). To achieve this certification, Conning works with leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance, Climate Impact Partners. As part of this certification, the firm’s global operations complete an independent assessment of their greenhouse gas emissions. Conning has been certified as carbon neutral from September 1, 2025, through December 31, 2026. Conning pays for its annual emissions assessment and the carbon credits to offset the verified assessment but does not pay directly for the certification.

At this time, to meet its carbon neutral goal, Conning has established an offsetting program that finances several projects that support the transition to a low carbon global economy. All projects are independently verified to assure emissions reductions are occurring. The deployment of carbon credits is the first step in a journey as the firm continues to examine how to reduce its carbon footprint.

The CarbonNeutral® Company Certification does not reference portfolio investments held in Octagon client accounts.