Jameela Pedicini, a former manager for the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Investment initiative, will serve as Harvard Management Company’s first vice president for sustainable investing.

In her new role, the creation of which was announced in February, Pedicini will work to research and understand sustainability issues related to the University’s more than $30 billion endowment. She will be HMC’s primary liaison to the University on environmental, social, and governance and investor responsibility issues, and will offer staff support to the University’s Corporation Committee on Shareholder Responsibility.

“As long-term investors we are acutely focused on factors that may impact the long-term sustainability of Harvard’s endowment portfolio,” Jane L. Mendillo, President and CEO of HMC, said in a press release Tuesday announcing Pedicini’s appointment. “Jameela will help strengthen our understanding of these risks and opportunities and will sharpen our due diligence process to ultimately allow us to enhance the long-term returns we deliver for the University.”

Pedicini most recently worked as an investment officer for global governance with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, where she implemented environmental, social, and governance integration initiatives, according to the press release.

Pedicini’s appointment follows an academic year marked by a push for socially responsible investment. Last November, 80.5 percent of College students who voted in the November Undergraduate Council presidential election supported a referendum advocating for the creation of a social choice fund; more than half the student body voted in that election. The University announced the next month that it planned to create a social choice fund.

In another student referendum in February, 93 percent of Harvard Kennedy School student voters supported a referendum to seed the social choice fund with money from the University endowment. Administrators have not indicated that they plan to take such a step.

—Staff writer Madeline R. Conway can be reached at mconway@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @MadelineRConway.

—Check TheCrimson.com for updates.