At Apriem, going above and beyond is built into our name. Apriem comes from Latin roots meaning “exceedingly, above all, to the highest degree,” and that is the standard we strive to hold ourselves to every day—including how we calculate and present investment performance.

When it comes to performance reporting, we believe consistency, transparency, and clear standards matter. That is one reason Apriem chooses to comply with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®).

As a foodie myself—and fun fact, a Yelp “Queen” in Orange County back in 2011—I always say: I eat with my eyes first, but what ultimately matters is whether the ingredients are real and the flavors are true. Investing is not so different. Good presentation may get your attention, but understanding what is behind the numbers matters.

What Are the GIPS® Standards?

Think of the GIPS standards as a recognized framework for how investment firms calculate and present investment performance.

It is a little like giving bakeries a common set of measuring standards. The cakes may still be very different—the ingredients, recipes, sizes, and flavors can all vary—but having established measurement standards gives you a more consistent framework for understanding what went into them.

Similarly, investment firms can have very different strategies, risks, benchmarks, fees, and objectives. The GIPS standards do not make those firms or their investment results identical or automatically comparable. Instead, the standards are designed to promote fair representation and full disclosure in investment performance reporting.

Why Does That Matter to You?

When you work with Apriem, which claims compliance with the GIPS standards:

• Our investment performance is calculated and presented according to a globally recognized set of industry standards designed to promote fair representation and full disclosure.
• We follow defined policies and procedures governing how performance is calculated and presented.
• The framework can help investors better understand and evaluate reported investment performance.
• Our GIPS Reports provide additional information about our investment strategies, performance, benchmarks, fees, risks, and other important characteristics.

Compliance with the GIPS standards is voluntary, and not every investment firm chooses to claim compliance. Apriem does.

What Is Verification?

We take another voluntary step: each year, Apriem engages an independent verifier. The verifier evaluates whether Apriem’s policies and procedures related to maintaining composites, as well as calculating, presenting, and distributing performance, have been designed in compliance with the GIPS standards and implemented on a firm-wide basis.

Think of it as an independent review of whether we have established the required recipe, measuring processes, and kitchen procedures—and whether those processes are being implemented throughout the firm.

Verification is performed on the firm as a whole. It does not provide assurance regarding the accuracy of any specific composite or performance report.

“Verification is not required—we choose to do it because we believe it is the right thing to do.” — Rhonda Ducote, AIF®, President & CEO

Why Verification Matters

Independent verification provides additional confidence in Apriem’s claim of compliance with the GIPS standards.

For us, it is another layer of accountability and independent review—and another way we demonstrate our commitment to maintaining consistent, well-defined processes for calculating and presenting investment performance.

Because when it comes to your financial life, what is behind the numbers matters just as much as how they look.