Utmost Group has become a  signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).

In a statement on 14 January, it said this move demonstrated the Group's commitment to including sustainability factors in its investment decisions and ownership.

Paul Thompson, Utmost Group chief executive said: "We are proud to be a signatory to the PRI. We believe that responsible investing has a huge role to play in building a sustainable future for current and future generations.

"The Group is committed to taking a proactive approach to sustainable investing and we will continue to embed it across our business - in our strategy, in our investments and in our ongoing stewardship.

"The work of the PRI supports our mission by actively contributing to developing a more sustainable global financial system."

David Atkin, chief executive of the PRI said: "We are delighted to welcome on board Utmost Group plc as a PRI signatory. It is great to see the Group's commitment to responsible investment, including its announcement to only work with asset managers who are signatories to the PRI. We very much look forward to working together in future."