Investments

General Information

Investment Beliefs

The Investment Beliefs serve as a guide in the board’s decision making process and a reference point for future board and staff decisions.

Investment Policies & Procurement Practices

The investment philosophy, guidelines and practices that SURS employs to manage the System´s assets.

Procurement practices include sample Request for Proposals (RFPs) as well as RFPs currently issued for active searches. This section also includes an Investment Management Agreement required by managers entering into a contract for investment services.

Investment Managers and Contractors

Contact information as well as fees paid to investment managers are enclosed in this section. The contact information for service providers to the investment department may also be found.

SURS Investment Plan

The Investment Plan reviews the results of each fiscal year and defines the strategy for the new fiscal year in accordance with the board-approved asset/liability study and Investment Policy.

Corporate Governance

Corporate governance policies, proxy policy statement, and quarterly issue summary reports.

Statutory Disclosures

To ensure transparency, Illinois Statute requires disclosure of certain investment activities found on the following page.

Reports & Studies

Annual Fiduciary Report

SURS is required to post an Annual Fiduciary Report to its website pursuant to 40 ILCS 5/15-177.6, which became law on August 4, 2023.

Annual Financial Report

SURS is required to provide participants and benefit recipients with financial statements, including the report of the independent auditors regarding those statements.

Actuarial Valuation Reports & Experience Studies

The valuation reports provide information on the funding status of SURS and include a determination of the state contribution level.  The experience study compares actual experience to expected experience based on information for the periods shown.

Investment Update

A overview of the SURS investment portfolio and performance.

Reports to the Governor and General Assembly

• Use of Emerging Investment Managers required by 40 ILCS 5/1-109.1.
• Illinois Economic Opportunity Investments required by 40 ILCS 5/1A-108.5.

RSP/DCP Quarterly Performance Reports

Quarterly reports for performance in the Retirement Savings Plan (RSP) and the Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP).

Diverse Manager Outreach

OPENING POSSIBILITIES – A Webinar on SURS’ Breakthrough Program for Diverse and Emerging Managers
On August 16, 2023, SURS and Fairview Capital held a virtual session providing insights into the leading diverse and emerging manager program established by SURS in partnership with Fairview. View the replay here.

SURS Diverse Manager Outreach Portal
SURS Investment Staff has launched a Diverse Manager Outreach Portal to provide an opportunity for diversely-owned investment management firms with greater than 51% ownership by minorities, women, or people with a disability to present to the SURS investment team, its manager-of-manager partners, and/or its consultants.

Career Opportunities with SURS

Review all current job openings and apply online.

Diversity In SURS Portfolio

SURS is committed to providing opportunities for investment management firms and
broker/dealers owned by minorities, women and persons with a disability.

Forty percent (35 of 87) of SURS’ current investment managers are owned by minorities,
women, or persons with a disability, as of June 30, 2023. SURS assets managed by these
35 firms total $10.2 billion, representing 44.3% of the total investment portfolio.

Minority brokerage utilization rates for U.S. equity, non-U.S. equity, global equity, and
fixed income investment managers were 100%, 73.6%, 36.9%, and 48.2%, respectively,
for FY 2023.