Encouraging new practices
Our ongoing investment in ESG research, our team of experienced analysts, and our experience make us the preferred partner to help our clients implement their ESG commitments.
”Our job now is to help our clients with voting, commitment, data and reporting, with all the ESG issues that they face, where we have real expertise and where we can help them.
Creating more opportunities
Our independent ESG research works in synergy with the management teams, adding value and innovation. It ensures access to more opportunities for our clients, as well as a better understanding of long-term risks.
Innovation
We continue to develop our expertise and enrich our processes and our savoir-faire in order to offer our clients investment solutions that have a real, inclusive and long-lasting impact, for the benefit of all.
Sharing
Candriam donates part of its revenues to finance societal projects in the field of education, health, environment and social inclusion. We share our ESG expertise through the Candriam Academy, the world's first free online training platform on sustainable investment.
A unique approach to responsible investment
Unique because it is built on our proprietary research, which has been developed and enriched over more than 20 years, and on the recognised expertise of our team of ESG analysts, one of the largest such teams in Europe, which informs all of our investments.
Unique because our starting premise is that every company contributes to sustainability in two ways: through its activities, and through the way it is managed. This dual dimension is present in all our sustainability funds through our analysis and the ESG rating we produce for all the companies in which we invest.
Exclusions
We have chosen to exclude industries such as tobacco, thermal coal, and controversial weapons (anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions, chemical and biological weapons, including white phosphorous) from all our funds.
Taking our responsibilities seriously
We believe that engagement with issuers and an active voting policy are essential to long-term value creation. Each year we attend 1,200 general meetings and vote on nearly 16,000 resolutions. We also lead or participate in some 50 collaborative initiatives to positively influence companies' sustainability strategies.
Taking action
We are responsible in two ways: by investing directly in companies that provide solutions to the challenges we face, and by supporting, through the Candriam Institute for Sustainable Development, projects that work towards building a more sustainable society in the fields of health, education and ESG research, social inclusion and well-being, or the environment (circular economy, climate change and just transition).
Promoting dialogue as the key to success
We maintain an ongoing dialogue with the companies in which we invest, combining our ESG research with an engagement policy that places particular emphasis on fair working conditions, the energy transition, and business ethics.
Applying to ourselves what we ask of others
- Being a long-term partner for our clients and stakeholders
- Creating conditions for a rewarding and lasting professional life for our teams
- Acting responsibly with regard to each and every employee
- Applying rigorous governance and compliance processes
- Publier un rapport annuel RSE décrivant nos actions en tant qu'entreprise responsable
- Adopting an ambitious climate policy, aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement
Leaving nothing to chance
Our exclusion policy is applied to all our investments. We are continuously developing our non-financial criteria in order to accurately assess the sources of growth as well as long-term risks, and how these contribute to or jeopardise our sustainability objectives.
1. Exclusion
We exclude companies that are involved in controversial activities (e.g. alcohol, gambling, tobacco, etc.) and we ensure that our selection of companies complies with the major international agreements.
2. ESG research
The team has developed its own ESG analysis methodology that is applied to three types of issuer: companies, governments, and supranational organisations. Company ESG analysts are specialised by ESG theme, in order to create expertise hubs to improve the development of strategies and provide the investment teams with a better understanding of the specific risks and opportunities associated with each of the three themes: E, S and G.
3. ESG rating
The ESG universe consists of the best-positioned companies based on ESG ratings resulting from the analysis of the company's activities and stakeholders and which have also passed the normative analysis and the control of exposure to controversial activities.
4. Valuation
In making recommendations, our analysts carry out an in-depth study of the company's business and financial profile by including ESG criteria when evaluating companies, using a comprehensive framework.
5. Long-term investor
We are an active investor in order to encourage transparency, promote sustainable practices, and support investment decisions. We maintain regular contact with companies via a direct dialogue, and we participate in or drive collaborative initiatives at the same time as exercising our voting rights.
Figures are worth a thousand words.
€114bn
AuM
2006
Founding PRI signatory
1996
First SRI strategy
24
ESG experts
Impact investing
An impact investment is made with the intention of having a positive and measurable social and environmental impact, accompanied by financial performance. This notion of intentionality is fundamental. Impact investments have been designed with the aim of creating a significant positive impact for society or the environment.