In its 2021 Sustainability Report, BNP Paribas Asset Management stresses the undiminished – and increasingly urgent – need to mobilise capital for sustainable investment solutions that can support a net zero pathway, protect biodiversity and facilitate inclusive growth.
As the sustainable asset manager for a changing world, we believe we have an important role to play as we work to generate long-term sustainable investment returns for clients.
Our purpose, strategy and culture are deeply focused on embedding the six pillars of our sustainable investment approach (Exhibit 1) into everything we do.
Here we highlight some of the main achievements detailed in the full report.
ESG integration across all investments
We embedded ESG across our investment processes using our ESG Integration Guidelines and expanded our proprietary ESG research from 3 000 entities to over 13 000. Using a comprehensive validation system, we now manage EUR 330.5 billion in ESG-integrated assets.
Stewardship (voting, engagement)
Using Proxy Voting & Governance Principles, we voted down management proposals about 33% of the time in 2021.
We supported almost 90% of climate-related shareholder resolutions in the most recent voting period.
We increased our opposition to the appointment of directors, mainly over diversity issues
Responsible Business Conduct
We made our Responsible Business Conduct policy, which governs our exclusion lists, the standard for all new client mandates, and encouraged existing clients to adopt our policy.
We strengthened our policy to systematically exclude any utilities that will still have coal capacity in their power generation mix in the EU and OECD countries by 2030 and the rest of the world by 2040.
We introduced exclusions and mandatory criteria for companies with significant involvement in the exploration, production, and trading or pipeline distribution of shale oil or gas, oil sands, and oil and gas resources in the Arctic region.
We updated our agricultural sector policy to tighten restrictions on deforestation and land clearance in the Amazon and Cerrado regions of Brazil, two of the most biodiverse regions on Earth.
The ‘3 Es’
1.
Energy transition
In 2021, we strengthened our commitment to aligning our investment portfolios with the Paris Agreement goals by signing up to the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative(NZAM).
Energy transition is integrated thoroughly into investments via our ESG scoring framework, and our exclusion policy covers the most sensitive sectors related to climate change.
We use our leverage to encourage investee companies, countries and policymakers to align with the Paris goals. We supported many climate-related shareholder resolutions in the most recent voting period and we engage with companies on the energy transition both one-to-one and collaboratively through coalitions such as Climate Action 100+.
2.
Environmental sustainability
In 2021, we published our Biodiversity Roadmap, which details our plan to embed biodiversity considerations in our sustainable investment approach.
Our proxy voting, engagement and public policy supports our expectations of environmental sustainability with a focus on deforestation and water efficiency. In 2021, we signed the business statement for a Global Treaty on Plastic Pollution, which governments around the world endorsed.
3.
Equality and inclusive growth
We increased our opposition to the appointment of directors from 20% in 2018 to 37% in 2021. We engaged in initiatives raising concern over worsening inequality during the Covid-19 crisis.
We developed a data model to incorporate an inclusive growth assessment in our investment strategies.
Sustainable+: Enhanced ESG – thematic, impact
Our focus on products that go further – meaning that they have enhanced ESG traits, be they thematic or impact – resulted in EUR 229 billion of total assets under management being classified as SFDR Article 8 and Article 9
This includes 81% of our open-ended funds.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – Walking the talk
We implemented a corporate social responsibility approach with ambitious goals for a more gender-balanced business, encouraging employees to volunteer, reducing our emissions and waste.
We tackled employee training and engagement on sustainability and linked sustainability to employee remuneration more closely.
Disclaimer
This material is issued and has been prepared by a representative of BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Australia Limited (“BNPP AMAU”) AFSL 223418 ABN 78 008 576 449.
This material is produced for information purposes only and does not constitute:
1. an offer to buy nor a solicitation to sell, nor shall it form the basis of or be relied upon in connection with any contract or commitment whatsoever or
2. investment advice.
This material makes reference to certain financial instruments authorised and regulated in their jurisdiction(s) of incorporation. No action has been taken which would permit the public offering of the financial instrument(s) in any other jurisdiction, except as indicated in the most recent prospectus and the Key Investor Information Document (KIID) of the relevant financial instrument(s) where such action would be required, in particular, in the United States, to US persons (as such term is defined in Regulation S of the United States Securities Act of 1933). Prior to any subscription in a country in which such financial instrument(s) is/are registered, investors should verify any legal constraints or restrictions there may be in connection with the subscription, purchase, possession or sale of the financial instrument(s). Investors considering subscribing to the financial instrument(s) should read carefully the most recent prospectus and Key Investor Information Document (KIID) and consult the financial instrument(s’) most recent financial reports. These documents are available on the website.
Opinions included in this material constitute the judgement of the investment management company at the time specified and may be subject to change without notice. The investment management company is not obliged to update or alter the information or opinions contained within this material. Investors should consult their own legal and tax advisors in respect of legal, accounting, domicile and tax advice prior to investing in the financial instrument(s) in order to make an independent determination of the suitability and consequences of an investment therein, if permitted. Please note that different types of investments, if contained within this material, involve varying degrees of risk and there can be no assurance that any specific investment may either be suitable, appropriate or profitable for an investor’s investment portfolio.
Given the economic and market risks, there can be no assurance that the financial instrument(s) will achieve its/their investment objectives. Returns may be affected by, amongst other things, investment strategies or objectives of the financial instrument(s) and material market and economic conditions, including interest rates, market terms and general market conditions. The different strategies applied to financial instruments may have a significant effect on the results presented in this material.
Past performance is not a guide to future performance and the value of the investments in financial instrument(s) may go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the amount they originally invested. The performance data, as applicable, reflected in this material, do not take into account the commissions, costs incurred on the issue and redemption and taxes.
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