The Investors for Opioid and Pharmaceutical Accountability (IOPA) was a diverse coalition of global institutional investors with 67 members representing over $4.2T in AUM that was established in 2017 to engage opioid manufacturers, distributors and retail pharmacies to improve oversight structures that would reduce the risks of opioid misuse. The IOPA was comprised of many ICCR members.
According to the CDC, opioids were involved in nearly 80,000 overdose deaths in 2022, a crisis that continues to ravage communities across the country. The sale and distribution of opioid medications carries significant legal and reputational risks for companies with long term and systemic societal and economic impacts. Through dialogues and shareholder resolutions at key companies, investor members made the clear business case for strengthened board-level oversight and other governance reforms to significantly reduce opioid-related risks.
In 2023, the IOPA wound down its collaborative efforts. Below are some of the important achievements of the collective in its five years of operations:
The IOPA was officially sunsetted in 2023. Please contact Chirag Acharya, Senior Analyst, Sustainable Investment Stewardship at Wespath Benefits and Investments with any further questions.