Swisscanto Invest by Zürcher Kantonalbank ranks Vontobel as the most sustainable financial services provider

News
14.09.2017 Reading time: 2 minute(s)

Swisscanto Invest by Zürcher Kantonalbank and students from the University of St. Gallen have joined forces to produce a sustainability analysis of 48 Swiss financial services providers. Vontobel came out top with a score of 83 points. This leading ranking confirms that Vontobel is a global wealth and asset manager that offers sustainable solutions as a key part of its product range and whose approach to business is characterized by foresight and ownership.

 

83 out of a possible 100 points

The analysis covers a total of 48 Swiss financial services providers that are included in the Swiss Performance Index or the Swiss Bond Index. The project group evaluated the companies using environment, social, governance and product indicators – with environment being assigned a 10% weighting, while the three other topics each had a weighing of 30%. Vontobel came out top with a score of 83 points. One of the characteristics of the leading financial services providers is that they all actively offer clients sustainable investment opportunities.

Vontobel comes first in three out of four topics
Vontobel achieved the top ranking for the social, governance and product topics. In the case of its social performance, this was due in part to the execution of initiatives to enhance employee retention such as internship programmes or opportunities for further training. The provision of flexible working hours and various offerings to promote employee health contributed to Vontobel’s good score. In the case of maternity and paternity leave, the employee benefits granted by Vontobel go beyond the statutory minimum.

Top for governance
In the area of governance, Vontobel performed well due to the publication of a comprehensive Code of Conduct as well as the issuing of measures to ensure compliance with these conduct rules at all levels of the company, among other aspects. It also discloses information about any breaches of individual rules. Vontobel has detailed and publicly accessible guidelines on the prevention of money laundering and corruption, as well as on the handling of tax payments.

First place also for products
In the area of products, Vontobel excels due, in particular, to its sustainable investment offering: Private Banking and Asset Management both offer sustainable investment solutions for private and institutional clients and manage sustainable investment funds. Vontobel is one of only around 27% of the companies analyzed that enforce the ban on investments in firms that produce land mines. Vontobel is also one of the seven companies out of a total of 48 that has signed the PRI. The analysis is based on information and sustainability reports for 2015.

 



Legal information This document is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer of any kind. The services described in the document are supplied under the agreement signed with the service recipient. The nature, scope and prices of services and products may vary from one country to another and may change without notice at any time. Certain services and products are not available worldwide or from all companies of Vontobel. In addition, they may be subject to legal restrictions in certain countries.