Summary
Climate change is one of our planet’s most pressing challenges. We at Allianz Global Investors believe that asset managers should take a more active role in shaping the future. Since 1999 we meet this responsibility with commitment, dedication, and far-sighted actions.
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Shaping sustainability with foresight
Climate change is one of our planet’s most pressing challenges. We at Allianz Global Investors believe that asset managers should take a more active role in shaping the future. Since 1999 we meet this responsibility with commitment, dedication, and far-sighted actions.
We are happy to announce that 74 equity, fixed income and multi-asset funds will join our current sustainable investment offering, addressing the rising demand for sustainable products in an even more targeted and more comprehensive way.
What is the actual significance of the European Union Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation?
On 10 March 2020, the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) came into forcei
The main objectives of the SFDR are to:
redirect capital flows towards sustainable investments favouring a sustainable and inclusive growth.
integrate sustainability into risk management.
promote transparency and long-term nature of financial and economic activities.
The basis: The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The regulation is based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by the United Nations in 2015ii. These goals also include the key conventions of the Paris Agreement aiming at counteracting the dangerous change in climate conditions.
On the basis of these targets the European Union adopted the Green Deal comprising several climate and energy goals. These include, among others:
the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 1999.
an increase of the share of renewable energy by 27%.
The overall goal is to achieve a full climate neutrality of the EU by 2050.
Achieving these objectives requires joint actions and efforts and, not least, significant annual investments of 180 billion Euros.
The financial sector plays a central and crucial role here and bears a special responsibility: after all, financing is a decisive factor in ensuring a quick and consistent incorporation of sustainability criteria into economic, operational and company decisions.
Sustainable investments: Various strategies and a common goal
More and more people want to integrate sustainable criteria into their investment decision. Sustainable investments can pursue different objectives – the reduction of risks, the exploration of alpha-potentials or the unfolding of beneficial social and environmental effects.
Following the SFDR there are in principle three distinguishable product categories:
Products that do not promote environmental or social characteristics and that do not pursuit any sustainable goal (article 6 of the SFDR)
Products that promote among others environmental or social characteristics (ESG criteria like the exclusion of producers of controversial weapons, fair working conditions and workers' protection measures) (article 8 of the SFDR)
Products that pursue a (in performance indicators) measurable sustainable goal and at the same time provide a financial added value (article 9 of the SFDR).
Sustainable investments make all the difference and pay off
Allianz Global Investors is committed, as an active manager with a long-term outlook, to actively safeguard the clients’ interests. For a number of funds, Allianz Global Investors will set the bar even higher to support the company’s and clients’ ambitions on addressing change. Allianz Global Investors recognizes the urgency of this global challenge and the power of the so-called engagement-approach (active perception of investors’ interests in a critical dialogue with companies)
With the newly established approach „Climate Engagement with Outcome“ (result-oriented climate engagement) Allianz Global Investors therefore demands and fosters the transition pathway towards a low carbon economy.
From now on, the company will engage in a critical dialogue with the ten largest CO2 emitters in each portfolio (Scope 1 and 2) to work together, for example, towards a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable investments in future-orientated companies that use their high innovation potential to make the energy and the soils we use and the air we breathe cleaner or that make water and other vital resources available for all, are investments in a world we all love to live in. Now and in the future.
Allianz Global Investors integrates environmental and social engagement and its responsibility for finances in its sustainable investments. Actively and forward-thinking.
Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2019 on sustainability‐related disclosures in the financial services sector.
iThe implementation status of the sustainable finance disclosure regulation is based on the current understanding of the regulation and is subject to change as the level 2 requirements are not published yet and feedback from European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) on product classification is outstanding.
iiAllianz Global Investors supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) The UN Sustainable Development Goals, established in 2015, are 17 global goals aiming to guide the path of sustainable development in the world. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016.
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