Investing responsibly
We are a responsible investor
Zurich is proud to be a leading responsible investor. We believe creating long-term, sustainable value - doing well and doing good - is not only possible, but necessary. When we do ‘well’, we generate superior risk-adjusted returns for our customers and shareholders. When we do ‘good', we have a positive impact on society and the communities where we live and work. Whether it’s helping reduce CO2 emissions or helping people improve their lives, our in-house and external experts focus on improving the financial performance, transparency and positive impact of our portfolio.
Since we manage approximately USD 170 billion of own assets, by doing well and doing good, we can achieve substantial, long-term outcomes that benefit both people and the planet. On top of investment returns, we focus on three distinct outcomes: fully decarbonizing our investment portfolio by 2050, as well as helping avoid 5 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and benefiting 5 million people per year through our impact investments.
At Zurich, we aim to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. Our approach to investment is no exception.
Zurich is a signatory to the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and the Operating Principles for Impact Management. Our comprehensive responsible investment strategy covers the entirety of our proprietary assets, matching a variety of responsible investment tools with the asset classes where they have most practical influence, and is also applicable to many of our unit-linked offerings.
Our responsible investment strategy
Responsible investment means different things to different people. There are a number of approaches and tools for responsible investment.
Zurich’s strategy comprises three core elements while consistently integrating climate action, and following a group-wide approach on exclusions:
ESG Integration
• Training • Information • Process Integration • Active Ownership Integrating environmental, social and governance factors
Impact Investing
• Intentionality • Measurability • Profitability Making an impact by funding solutions
Advancing together
• Innovation • Collaboration • Public advocacy Collaborating to advance responsible investment
Climate Action
• Our journey to net-zero
Exclusion Screens
• Read more about our group-wide exclusion policies
Awards
We are grateful and proud that our responsible investment approach has been honored with several awards.
PRI Assessment Results 2020
In the most recent Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) assessment, Zurich has again scored the highest rating of A+ for its overarching approach to responsible investments.
UN PRI Assessment Results | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zurich | Median | Zurich | Median | Zurich | Median | |
01. Strategy & Governance | A+ | A | A+ | A | A+ | A |
Indirect - Manager Selection, Appointment & Monitoring | ||||||
02. Listed Equity | A | A | A | A | A | B |
03. Fixed Income – SSA | A | B | A | B | A | B |
04. Fixed Income - Corporate Financial | A | A | A | B | A | B |
05. Fixed Income - Corporate Non-Financial | A | A | A | B | A | B |
06. Fixed Income – Securitized | E | A | E | B | E | B |
06. Private Equity | A | A | A | A | A | B |
Direct - Manager Selection, Appointment & Monitoring | ||||||
10. Listed Equity – Incorporation | A+ | A | A+ | B | B | B |
11. Listed Equity - Active Ownership | A | B | B | B | B | B |
12. Fixed Income – SSA | A+ | B | A+ | B | B | B |
13. Fixed Income - Corporate Financial | A | B | A | B | A | B |
14. Fixed Income - Corporate Non-Financial | A | B | A | B | A | B |
17. Property | A | B | B | B | B | B |
You can find detailed information on Zurich’s sustainability ratings and index listings in the Investors section of our website.
Helpful documents - More about responsible investment
- Doing well and doing good - Why Zurich practices responsible investment
- Doing well and doing good (German) - Why Zurich practices responsible investment
- Doing well and doing good (Spanish) - Why Zurich practices responsible investment
- Zurich Responsible Investment Whitepaper
- Zurich Impact Measurement Framework
- Investment Management - A creator of value in an insurance company
- Zurich proxy voting policy and guidelines
As a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), Zurich reports annually on its progress.
- RI Transparency report 2019/2020
- RI Transparency report 2014/2015
- RI Transparency report 2013/2014
- RI Assessment report 2020
- RI Transparency report 2018/2019
- RI Assessment report 2019
- RI Transparency report 2017/2018
- RI Assessment report 2018
- RI Transparency report 2016/2017
- RI Assessment report 2017
- RI Transparency report 2015/2016
The Investment Leaders Group (ILG), of which Zurich is a founding member, has issued a variety of reports.
- In search of impact: Measuring the full value of capital – updated 2019
- In search of impact: Measuring the full value of capital
- Feeling the heat: An investor's guide to measuring business risk from carbon and energy regulation
- Taking the long view: A toolkit for long-term, sustainable investment mandates
- Unhedgeable risk: how climate change sentiment impacts investments
- The value of responsible investment
Where to find information to be disclosed under the Shareholder Rights Directive.