Responsible investment

Our investment approach for ESG in securities is anchored in the development of meaningful products and the exercise of active ownership.

Our ESG approach in securities is rooted in a robust framework that combines product integrity with active ownership. In both Fixed Income and Equities, we apply comprehensive exclusion criteria to ensure alignment with market standards and sustainability norms. ESG ratings and controversy assessments are systematically integrated into credit analysis for Fixed Income portfolios, while Equities benefit from direct engagement and proxy voting to influence corporate behavior. The ESG and Sustainable Impact products pursue clear objectives, including the reduction of exposure to issuers with high ESG risks, tracking ESG benchmarks or the promotion of sustainable business practices. These objectives are embedded in our investment processes to ensure that ESG considerations translate into measurable outcomes across asset classes and their fit to the clients’ preferences. This approach enables us to manage ESG risks effectively, support long-term value creation, and contribute to the transition toward a more sustainable economy.

Our focus areas

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Climate mitigation

Support climate and nature initiatives
Based on client sustainability preferences, we steer the financed emissions of selected portfolios to align with science-based climate mitigation pathways or against benchmarks. We achieve this by leveraging a broad data set and compelling in-house expertise on commonly used frameworks and standards like Net Zero Investors Framework (NZIF) or Swiss Climate Scores, ensuring that our climate alignment efforts are both credible and actionable.

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Company dialogue

Strengthen climate and nature strategies
Through our engagement activities, we encourage and support companies in their low carbon transition while aiming for long-term resilient profitability. We consider dialogue, whether to influence behaviour or to understand practices and obstacles, as a valuable lever to generate environmental benefits and strengthen a company’s capacity for sustainable financial performance.

Environmental / Social proxy voting

Advance good governance standards
As a responsible investor, we fulfil our ownership duties through a customised proxy voting policy and research that focuses on environmental and social issues, while promoting sustainability and good governance, to safeguard long-term shareholder value. We analyse each environmental or social voting item fundamentally, formulate an independent opinion, and vote accordingly. This may differ from the recommendations of company management or proxy advisors. Having our own perspective is essential to understanding the pathway an investee is on and to exercising ownership with integrity.