Natixis Assurances, the insurance product manufacturer distributed through Banques Populaire and Caisses d’Epargne networks, has announced it is bringing its investment policy in line with Paris Agreement targets to keep global temperature rises below 2°C.
This will see some 10% of investments annually focused on green investments, with an overall target of 10% of AUM comprising green assets by 2030.
The policy shift will apply across portfolios, excluding unit-linked products, and is intended to “encourage and promote economic participants that make a positive contribution to the ecological and energy transition”.
“The initiative rounds out the company’s previous decision to exclude from its investment scope any issuers that do not take on board the environmental, social and governance criteria outlined in its strategy,” Natixis Assurances said.
François Riahi, CEO of Natixis, added: “The financial industry can and should help drive the pace of the ecological and energy transition by directing funding to support a more sustainable economy. Natixis intends to play a full role in addressing today’s climate change challenges.”
Jean-François Lequoy, member of the Natixis Senior Management Committee in charge of Insurance, added: “Energy transition lies at the very heart of the challenges for today’s society, and I am convinced that insurers have a major responsibility to contribute. Natixis Assurances is determined to take practical and innovative steps to play its part by purposefully readjusting our investment policy.”
Natixis is the international corporate and investment banking, asset management, insurance and financial services arm of Groupe BPCE, the 2nd-largest banking group in France with 31 million clients spread over two retail banking networks, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne.
