Sustainable investing, often also referred to as responsible investment, incorporates environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into investment and business decisions in order to better manage risk and generate sustainable, long-term returns.
The market demand for sustainability
The Covid-19 economic crisis has also put a question mark over the sustainability of our economic growth model, while more and more investors are demanding products with a positive impact. 82% of investors (91% of Millennials) would hold a responsible investment for longer than a standard investment.
Case study:
IFC/Amundi Planet emerging green one
Amundi, Europe’s largest asset manager, launched the world’s largest green-bond fund dedicated to emerging markets in 2017, the IFC / Amundi Planet Emerging Green One – with the involvement of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank’s private sector investment arm. The $2bn-target fixed income fund invests in green bonds issued by banks in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
The fund, which uses a layered structure, is based in Luxembourg, and aims to be fully invested in green bonds within seven years. Luxembourg has been chosen as a jurisdiction to base the Green Cornerstone Bond Fund due to its well-developed framework of rules and regulations, the country’s international reputation as a pre-eminent onshore jurisdiction for structuring funds and deals, as well as the fact that it is home to the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, a leading international bond market.