The Responsible Investment Association Australasia’s (RIAA) Responsible Investment Certification Program is the leading initiative for distinguishing quality responsible, ethical and impact investment products and services in Australia and New Zealand.

RIAA’s Certification Symbol is recognised by investors and consumers across the region, providing confidence that a product or provider is delivering on its responsible investment promise and meeting the Australian and New Zealand Standard for responsible investing.

When an investor sees RIAA’s Certification Symbol, they know the product or service has implemented an investment style and process that systematically takes into account environmental, social, governance or ethical considerations, and this investment process reliability has been verified by an external party. It also meets the operational and disclosure practices of Certification Program requirements.

Click here to find out more about the program and certification process. Also see here for our FAQs page.

“Think of it as RIAA giving us a detailed look under the hood—examining our processes and analysis closely. Through this certification process, we’ve not only enhanced our stewardship practices but also improved the effectiveness of our reporting.” - Matt Dever, Managing Director at Emit Capital Asset Management

In 2024, RIAA launched the Sustainability Classifications initiative that builds on RIAA’s Responsible Investment Certification Program. The initiative introduces three classifications: Responsible, Sustainable, and Sustainable Plus. For a comprehensive definition and assessment methodology, see here.

The classifications differentiate RIAA certified funds based on their responsible investment approaches, claims, processes, stewardship programs and disclosures. They focus on the approach that funds take in considering ESG factors and the degree to which sustainability is addressed or targeted.

Differentiating certified products: RIAA’s Classifications can serve as a compass, allowing investors to identify the varying degrees of consideration given to sustainability factors within each investment product.

Making informed choices: The transparency and clarity offered by RIAA’s Classifications empowers investors to make well-informed investment decisions. By offering critical information about each product’s approach to aligning capital with achieving a healthy society, environment and economy, it better enables investors to align their investments with their values.

Greater confidence and trust: RIAA’s Classifications provide investors with a basis to trust the sustainability of products certified under the initiative, a reputable and leading program since 2005. Being the most popular voluntary fund labelling certification program of its kind in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, this stamp of credibility is particularly valuable for individuals seeking to invest responsibly, in a way that reduces the risk of funds greenwashing.

Head back to our home page to search for RIAA certified products.