Public Affairs Statement

Octopus is investing in the people, ideas and industries that will change the world. We strongly believe there is no trade-off between ‘doing good’ and ‘making money’. Indeed, we believe that companies that understand what it means to make the world a better place, will deliver better financial returns for their investors over the coming decades.  

We passionately believe in making the UK the best place in the world to set up, scale up and list a company. Our policy engagement work is supporting UK businesses to unlock investment into solutions tackling humanity’s greatest challenges. We are revitalising our healthcare system, empowering people and communities, and building a sustainable planet to accelerate the journey to net-zero.

Policy Engagement

We contribute to public policy debates on issues relevant to our business and customers. We do this individually via correspondence, meetings, and consultations and through other bodies listed below.       

Our public affairs and policy engagement work is overseen by founder and board member Chris Hulatt to ensure that it aligns with our values and mission as well as the principles set out in our responsible investment policy.

We are Members of the Following Groups 

Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group

PRASEG is the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, it is a cross party group for UK politicians and senior industry stakeholders focused on promoting sustainable energy issues in Parliament and the wider political community.  

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All Party Parliamentary Group for Tax  

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Taxation is a cross party group of UK politicians and senior industry stakeholders which looks at tax policy and taxation on all levels including simplification and digitalisation, Brexit and its impact on the UK’s taxation system, and international taxation. It works in partnership with HM Treasury to create a ‘safe space’ for Parliamentarians and interested stakeholders to meet, discuss and develop innovative proposals to reform, simplify and make the UK’s taxation system fairer.   

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The Industry and Parliament Trust  

The IPT is an independent, non-lobbying, non-partisan charity that provides a trusted platform of engagement between Parliament and UK business. The IPT is dually supported by cross-party representation of senior parliamentarians on its Board of Trustees, and through the patronage of its industry supporters. The IPT is non-party political and works with all parliamentarians and businesses of any sector or size.

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The Venture Capital Trust Association 

The Venture Capital Trust Association (VCTA) represents ten of the largest venture capital trust managers in the UK, which make up more than 75% of the VCT industry, equivalent to ÂŁ3.3 billion.   

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Enterprise Investment Scheme Association   

The EISA is a not for profit organisation which exists to aid the provision of capital to UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS. 

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The Associated Retirement Community Operators   

ARCO is the main body representing the retirement community sector in the UK.  ARCO’s members include over 100 organisations associated with ARCO, including ARCO Affiliates, Advisory Council Partners, Strategic Partners, and members of the ARCO Accelerator Programme.   

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The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change   

IIGCC is a European collaboration of investors mobilising capital for the low carbon transition and to ensure resilience to the impacts of a changing climate by collaborating with business, policy makers and fellow investors

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Principles for Responsible Investing 

The PRI is the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment.  

It works:  

  • to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors 
  • to support its international network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions. 

The PRI acts in the long-term interests: 

  • of its signatories 
  • of the financial markets and economies in which they operate and ultimately of the environment and society as a whole 
Find out more

  

Consultations

Over the last year we have fed into the following consultations and inquiries: 

  • May 2020  Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Consultation regarding Contracts for Difference: proposed amendments to the scheme. 
  • June 2020  Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Post-Pandemic Growth Super-Inquiry 
  • June 2020 HMT Consultation into Enterprise Management Incentives
  • June 2020 Department of Health Consultation into Women’s Health Strategy
  • July 2020 International Agreements Committee, House of Lords inquiry UK-Australia Trade Negotiations 
  • July 2020  Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee Post-Pandemic Growth, Industrial Strategy 
  • July 2020 Treasury Select Committee inquiry, Tax after Coronavirus 
  • August 2020  Department of Work and Pensions Review of the Default Fund Charge Cap and Standardised Cost Disclosure
  • August 2020  Economic Affairs Committee, Lords Select Committee inquiry – Employment and Covid 
  • August 2020  Treasury Select Committee inquiry, Decarbonisation and Green Finance 
  • September 2020  Department of Work and Pensions consultation: Improving Outcomes for Members of Defined Contribution Pension Schemes 
  • January 2021 HMT Budget representation 
  • March 2021 Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy – call for evidence: Enabling a High Renewable, Net Zero Electricity System 
  • May 2021 Treasury Select Committee Inquiry into Jobs, growth and productivity after coronavirus

For further information contact:  Justine Duggan, Senior Public Affairs Manager 

[email protected]