Swedbank Robur Climate report 2020
The climate report for 2020 shows that the absolute majority of Swedbank Robur's equity funds remain more carbon efficient* this year than their respective benchmarks, and that the share of investments in green bonds has tripled in the last two years alone. The report also outlines several concrete steps in line with the fund company’s climate strategy, including the launch of 6 Access Edge funds secured to be managed in line with the Paris Agreement, a strengthened Policy for Responsible Investment, and three new strategies for include, exclude and engage. The calculations** in the Climate report have been made in accordance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
Already in 2018, Swedbank Robur decided to implement and follow the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). TCFD strives to develop climate-related financial risk reporting for companies, to increase transparency and comparable information on how companies work with climate issues.
"It is gratifying that, just as in last year's climate report, we can report that the absolute majority of Swedbank Robur's equity funds remain more carbon efficient than their respective benchmark indexes. When we compare the last three years, we can see that all funds' average carbon footprint has gradually decreased by 40 percent and gone from 10 tons of CO2e/mSEK by the end of 2018 to 6 tons of CO2e/mSEK in 2020. These positive results are an effect of our strengthened Policy for Responsible Investments and Strategy to exclude fossil fuels as well as the clear carbon targets we have set within our asset management," says Pia Gisgård, Head of Sustainability and Governance, Swedbank Robur.
In 2019, Swedbank Robur's Board of Directors adopted a climate strategy with two overall goals; that the total fund capital by 2025 should be in line with the Paris Agreement's target of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, and carbon neutral by 2040. As part of the continued implementation of the climate strategy, the fund company has updated its Policy for Responsible Investments during 2020, with stricter criteria’s for excluding coal, oil and gas, shale oil/gas and oil sands. In addition, three new strategies for include, exclude and engage were also adopted.
"The climate issue is a central part of Swedbank Robur's strategy and business. We have a total of 80 sustainability analysts, governance specialists and portfolio managers working together to ensure that the asset management processes steer towards our overall ambitious and tough climate goals. As part of this each portfolio manager has documented and clarified how the climate goals should be taken into account in their respective investment process during the past year," says Pia Gisgård.
Another step in the implementation of the climate strategy during the past year, has been to launch new funds with a strong climate focus. Through the fund family Swedbank Robur Access Edge, the fund company launched the Nordic region's first index-related funds to be managed in line with the Paris Agreement. This means that the funds are managed according to the Paris Aligned Benchmark regulatory framework, developed within the framework of EU Sustainable Finance. During the year, Swedbank Robur Transition Energy was also launched, an actively managed equity fund that mainly invests on a global level in companies in various industries with a focus on sustainable energy transition.
Swedbank Robur Climate Report 2020 (link).
Contact:
Carina Sesser Nylund, Press Manager, Swedbank Robur ph. +46 72 230 52 64
Risk information
Historical growth is no guarantee of future yields. The value of your fund savings can both rise and fall, which is why there can be no guarantee that you will get back your original investment. A fund categorized as risk class 6-7 has a high risk both for increases and decreases in the value of the fund units. Please read prospectuses available on our website or visit a retailer.
*The carbon footprint shows a snapshot of what the portfolio's carbon footprint looks like. The calculations are not comprehensive and indirect emissions are not covered. The measure says nothing about how the portfolio contributes to a low-carbon society. More about the measure can be read in the Climate report (link above).
**The calculations in Swedbank Robur's climate report 2020 are based on what the portfolios and indices looked like as of December 31, 2020.
Swedbank Robur is a wholly owned subsidiary to Swedbank and active in Swedbank´s four home markets. Swedbank Robur was founded in 1967 and offers more than 80 mutual funds, institutional and discretionary asset management and management of pension funds. The number of customers is 3 million in Sweden and 1 million in the Baltic countries. Assets under management are approximately SEK 1678 billion (2020). Swedbank Robur’s vision is to become a world leader in sustainable value creation.