Investing sustainably in practice
Institutional investors in Switzerland are showing a growing interest in sustainable investments. This goes hand in hand with an increasing need for information both among the boards of trustees of pension funds and foundations as well as among experts from insurance companies and other institutional investors. With the Handbook on Sustainable Investments, Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF) presents for the first time a standard work on this topic.
Taking environmental, social and governance factors into account in investments is becoming increasingly popular among Swiss institutional investors, as the latest market study on sustainable investments in Switzerland revealed. "Due to the diversity of different approaches, it is often not easy for those responsible to gain an overview and select the approach that is suitable for their own organization. Together with around 30 experts from among our members, we have therefore developed a practical manual on the topic," explains Sabine Döbeli, Managing Director of Swiss Sustainable Finance.
In four parts, the context of sustainable investments is highlighted, existing approaches to sustainable investments as well as specific sustainable asset classes are presented, and a guide for the concrete implementation of a sustainable investment policy is presented. In addition, eight case studies illustrate how various Swiss organizations have successfully implemented their own sustainable investment policies.
Partners emphasize importance of independent information tool
The idea for the handbook came from the SSF working group "Institutional Investors", which includes well-known major investors such as Helvetia, Mobiliar, Nest Sammelstiftung, Swiss Re and Suva. These accompanied the process and, together with an editorial team, ensured that the publication was practical and neutral. "Organizations that hold money in trust can no longer avoid the topic, " explains Hubert Niggli, Head of Finance at Suva and Vice President of Swiss Sustainable Finance, "the handbook helps them learn about different options and their relevance for their own organization."
This opinion is shared by Ulla Enne, head of the SSF working group "Institutional Investors" and investment specialist at Nest Sammelstiftung, a pension fund that has been successfully investing with a sustainable investment strategy for years, and she adds: "Taking environmental, social and governance factors into account in the investment process can help to better identify long-term investment opportunities and risks. As a pension fund, we also see it as our duty to contribute to sustainable development." SSF's broad network made it possible to attract suitable subject matter experts as authors for each topic. As supporters, the Swiss Pension Fund Association ASIP, the Swiss Insurance Association SVV and SwissFoundations emphasize the relevance of the topic for their member organizations and welcome the neutral source of information on the topic.
Source: Swiss Sustainable Finance
