BNP Paribas Assurance launches three socially responsible investing funds with social and environmental focus, eligible for life insurance contracts in France.
- 31/03/2009
Within the framework of its Corporate and Social Responsibility policy, BNP Paribas Assurance continues to promote Socially Responsible Investing1 for individual investors.
After integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG2) factors in its general fund (55 billion euros), BNP Paribas Assurance is addressing expectations expressed by clients in a 2008 survey3 showing that half of all clients were ready to invest a portion of their contract in socially responsible funds.
According to the study 94% of the clients were interested in SRI funds with a focus on social values, and 93% were receptive to funds with an environmental focus. To address this demand, BNP Paribas Assurance has created three unit-linked products for clients seeking a proactive socially responsible investment approach:
- BNP Paribas Aqua4
- S.A.M Smart Energy5
- BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés6
All three of these funds are equity funds that are managed according to SRI criteria. The two environmental funds (BNP Paribas Aqua and S.A.M Smart Energy) invest in companies whose business mix is weighted towards environmental activities (water, renewable energies). The BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés reserves a maximum of 10% of its assets to investments in unlisted businesses and organizations that develop social solidarity programs.
All three funds are managed with a SRI approach that systematically takes into account environmental, social and governance criteria in the investment process.
The BNP Paribas Aqua fund is eligible for inclusion in life insurance contracts marketed by BNP Paribas and BNP Paribas Private Bank. Cardif life insurance contracts will propose all three of these new funds.
1 : SRI: Socially Responsible Investing
2 : ESG : Environment, Social and Governance criteria
3 : see press release in Life Insurance and SRI, April 17, 2008
4 : BNP Paribas Aqua , managed by BNP Paribas Asset Management
5 : S.A.M Smart Energy, managed by S.A.M
6 : BNP Paribas Insertion Salariés, managed by Natixis AM
Detailed fact sheets for funds available on request.
