Despite these concerns, many emphasized that Harvard’s endorsement of the PRI carries with it symbolic weight. Bill E. McKibben ’82, an environmental activist and author, said that the decision suggests an evolution in the University’s stance on sustainability issues.

“Once you’ve accepted the principle that your investments carry with them a political burden, then it’s only a matter of time before they end up divesting from their fossil fuel stock,” said McKibben, a former Crimson president. “This won’t satisfy people demanding divestment, but it does show that people demanding divestment are making progress.”

But becoming a signatory to PRI is not necessarily a first step down the road to divestment. Many PRI signatories have not divested from their fossil fuel holdings, and on Thursday, Faust once more reaffirmed her stance despite growing faculty support for the movement.

Still, experts agreed that the recognition of ESG considerations serves as progress and a foundation for ongoing dialogue. The sixth PRI principle, which requests that signatories “report on [their] activities and progress in implementing the principles,” requires the submission of an annual, publicly-available progress report.

“It does create a reporting framework on how they’ve been implementing [the principles] so it will be a way for people who want to engage the endowment to have that discussion,” said Wood of the principle.

—Staff writer Christine Y. Cahill can be reached at christine.cahill@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @cycahill16.

—Staff writer Amna H. Hashmi can be reached at amnahashmi@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @amna_hashmi.