To facilitate implementation of the policy, a contract has been concluded with Hermes Equity Ownership Services Ltd. in London, which provides engagement and voting services to several major institutional investors and has long been engaged in dialogues with companies to establish ways of improving responsible business management. At the request of the Pension Fund and other parties, talks have been held with various manufacturers of weapons and weapon components to establish whether they are involved in the production of anti-personnel landmines, which are banned under the Ottawa Treaty. These talks are ongoing. As a result of these dialogues, the Pension Fund decided in one instance to exclude a company, and in several other cases it was able to conclude that the companies in question never or no longer had any involvement in banned activities. Investigations are currently being conducted to determine which companies are involved in the production of cluster bombs. This was the main topic of discussion at a diplomatic conference held in Dublin in May 2008. Talks are being held with Hermes EOS about developing the Global Compact Principles formulated by the United Nations into test criteria for responsible investing purposes, and how these criteria can be applied in steps to the entire portfolio, possibly in an international pensions sector context. The UN Principles for Responsible Investment are due to be signed in 2008. Read the Policy for Responsible Investing >> | 
