Responsible, sustainable investment
Since 2016, all portfolios have been screened annually to ensure sufficient adherence to applicable ESG standards. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance and refers to the three central factors in measuring the sustainability of an investment. It must be possible to respect the principle of free research at all times within the administrator's methodology.
VUB always strives to go one step further. We created our own portfolio that is consistent with our humanistic values and specifically committed to sustainability. For example, we choose our own infrastructure projects with a high sustainability impact.
Between 2016 and 2020, the VUB invested a first trance worth 60 million euros in a sustainable investment portfolio. We invest in sustainable companies that conform to VUB values. We continue to replace investments in climate-damaging companies with sustainable, fossil-free alternatives.
The European Green Deal and EU taxonomy as game changers
From 2022 onwards, all European asset managers must comply with the EU-taxonomy, also called the European Regulation on Sustainability Disclosure in the Financial Services Sector (SFDR). This is a classification system that will help investors recognise more sustainable economic activities while simultaneously protecting them from greenwashing. This will make private resources more readily available for the more sustainable economic sectors. It will help us realise our climate goals and the European Green Deal. The taxonomy can facilitate a breakthrough for sustainability investments across Europe.
We will benchmark our investments against these new SFDR codes.