Our sustainability approach
Sustainability is the maxim of our actions: this applies to our own company as well as to our investment solutions. This holistic approach is based on the conviction that sustainable investing makes a positive social and environmental contribution and at the same time offers financial added value. This is why EB-SIM does not also offer sustainable products. There are only sustainable products!
WIW concept
With our many years of experience in sustainable investments, we have developed our own WIW concept: It combines values, integration and impact (Werte, Integration and Wirkung in German). Our values guide us in identifying sustainable investments. By integrating sustainability factors into our financial analysis, we are able to evaluate investments comprehensively. With our engagement approach, consisting of company dialogs and the exercise of voting rights, we achieve positive ecological and social effects.
Our values form the basis of our investment process and are expressed in the EB Group’s sustainability filter. This filter combines the criteria of the Guidelines for Ethical and Sustainable Investment in the Protestant Church (EKD Guidelines) with our own focal points, such as the impact on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Classic exclusion criteria for controversial business practices thus become clear. By using the filter in our funds, we minimize sustainability-related financial risks.
Sustainability indicators reveal long-term risks and opportunities that can have a financial impact. Companies that operate sustainably are often less affected by regulatory changes and less likely to be involved in legal disputes. Studies show that they are less likely to cause environmental damage, for example, and are often more innovative and therefore more respected by various stakeholder groups. Our EB ESG Score combines traditional ESG ratings with a news-based indicator and thus enables a more precise company evaluation.
Every investment has an impact. Our goal is to contribute to the transformation of a sustainable economy and society. This is why we support research collaborations with the universities of Kassel and Hamburg in the field of impact investing. Through our engagement strategy, which is based on targeted corporate dialogues and the use of voting rights, we promote positive change and create long-term value.
Our engagement
For us, engagement means taking responsibility. We promote sustainable transformation and can gain important information about companies’ sustainability risks and opportunities. Engagement can also contribute to long-term value creation by encouraging companies to adopt sustainable business practices. This leads to greater resilience, long-term growth and stable earnings. As every situation is unique, we use different forms and methods of engagement. Our aim is to achieve a sustainable increase in the value of the assets entrusted to us and a future worth living for generations to come.
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Thematic engagement
We engage in proactive dialog with companies on pressing issues such as deforestation, water security and workers’ rights. Using the SDGs as a frame of reference, we sensitize companies to key sustainability issues and promote sustainable business practices.
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Reactive, controversy-based engagement dialog
We specifically address companies that are involved in sustainability controversies. In this way, we want to encourage them to take concrete measures to mitigate the consequences of the controversy and reduce the likelihood of new ones. We focus on ensuring compliance with international standards such as the UN Global Compact and the OECD guidelines.
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Collaborative engagement
Together with other investors and initiatives, we pool our resources to increase our influence and bring about sustainable change. We work with the Arbeitskreis Kirchlicher Investoren (AKI), Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS ESG), the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and Shareholders for Change (SFC) on collaborative engagements.
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Self-initiated commitment
We maintain flexibility and freedom with our independent approach. We can develop tailor-made strategies, promote our own sustainability issues and express our understanding of values in our commitment.
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Exercise of voting rights
Exercising voting rights is an essential tool for exerting direct influence on corporate decisions and promoting sustainable business practices. It makes it possible to actively shape corporate strategies and ensure that ESG objectives are taken into account in decision-making processes.
“Sustainable investments are fundamental to creating value.”
