We often have to accept compromises in life, but there are issues where you cannot compromise, including responsible money management.
Climate change is one of the biggest long-term challenges for the whole world. The transition to a low-emission economy is simultaneously one of the opportunities and challenges of today's investment industry.
Did you know that by choosing a pension plan that invests sustainably, your savings help to make the world a better place?
Why we care?
SEB is committed to support sustainable development and its customers on the road to a low-emission economy.
How significant are sustainable pension investments?
75% of respondents in the Baltic States indicate that it is important for them that pension savings are invested sustainably.
44% of them consider sustainable investments to be very important in general.
47% of Respondents in the Baltic States would prefer to invest in financial solutions that invest sustainably, but sustainability is not their only goal (Article 8 of the SFDR Regulation).
Furthermore, 15% would choose to invest in financial solutions, whose sole objective is sustainability (Article 9 of the SFDR Regulation).
Data from SEB survey. March 2021, 1500 respondents aged 18 to 55 years.
Do I have to choose between high return and sustainable investing?
No, this is not the case. The global experience shows that companies that work with sustainability issues in a structured way, can become more successful in the long run. So you can not only save sustainably, but also earn money. Looking to the future, it is likely that sustainable investments will become a prerequisite for profit.
At the moment, we can say quite safely that the price in its classical sense is equally important for the added value of investments - the positive changes, that we can support with our investments, including pension savings.
Jānis Rozenfelds,
Chairman of the Board of SEB Investment Management
1 billion EUR*
SEB pension investments that consider sustainability principles exceeds 1 billion EUR. Including 140 million are sustainable investments.
*Data gathered in September 2022.
What is the return of sustainable funds compared to financial market indices?
Past profitability does not guarantee similar results in the future.
What is sustainable investing?
Sustainability is often defined as a choice that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
SEB strives to integrate sustainability aspects when making any investment decision.
Although sustainability is a broad concept, it can be summarized in three main areas - ESG factors.
What is the strategy of SEB for sustainable investments?
We strive to incorporate a number of perspectives and methods that together can add value to our customers and society as a whole. Interaction and balance between exclusionary screening, ESG integration and inclusive screening, active ownership, investment in specific areas of sustainability and investment with an impact is crucial in creating sustainable, long-term value.
Integration of ESG principles and inclusive selection
Companies and industries we aim to include:
- Preference is given to fund managers, who are supporters of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN-PRI)
- Preference is given to issuers and funds with a high rating according to the ESG classification
Exclusionary screening
Companies and industries we aim to exclude from direct investments:
- Controversial weapons
- Fossil fuels
- Gambling
- Tobacco
We prefer external investment funds that have similar exclusion criteria as SEB.
Active ownership
One of the advantages of being in the SEB Group is the opportunity to positively influence companies of Nordic countries through funds managed by SEB and global companies through SEB partners.
Investments in specific areas promoting sustainability and investments with an impact
Investments related to sustainability are investments in specific areas that promote sustainability.
Investments in companies, organizations and foundations with the aim of achieving financial returns and simultaneously achieving positive social and environmental impacts.
Find out more about sustainable investing with SEB:
SEB pension plans - competitive result
When investing, SEB Investment Management strives to strike a balance between high returns and low costs, while supporting the principles of ESG and reducing the opportunities to receive funds for those companies that are on the list of excluded companies and are not sustainable.
Since the introduction of SEB 2nd pension pillar plans, we have increased customer savings by a total of more than 277 million euros.
