In a letter co-signed by 21 Swiss and international institutional investors, the Ethos Foundation urges the Swiss parliament and the Federal Council to strengthen the environmental and human rights obligations of Swiss companies.
The investment funds offered by Ethos saw their score increase this year during their certification by the German Forum for Sustainable Investments: three of them obtained the maximum of three stars and a fourth fund obtained two stars.
While it is more necessary than ever to redirect capital towards sustainable activities, it is not always easy for investors to identify companies that offer products and services whose environmental and social impact can be seen as positive. Objective criteria are essential and Ethos has therefore developed its own positive impact methodology. Published in a summarised version, it groups together in ten themes the activities that play a key role in the transition to a more sustainable economy.
The Ethos Foundation publishes today its position on the consultation on the ordinance on climate reporting by large Swiss companies. While Ethos welcomes the Federal Council's desire to legislate in the field of companies' non-financial and climate reporting, Ethos regrets that the current project does not oblige them to publish all their greenhouse gas emissions - including indirect emissions - nor to have the information verified by an independent third party.
The annual general meetings of the Ethos Foundation and Ethos Services SA were held this morning in Bern. All the items on the agenda were approved, starting with the climate action plan which should enable Ethos to achieve its goal of net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This afternoon, a conference dedicated to the sustainable and inclusive economy will will bring together a panel of experts who and will be broadcast live from 1:45 p.m. on the Ethos Foundation website (in French or German).
The Foundation Ethos is concerned about a decision that could go against the very original purpose of the taxonomy, which is to direct investments towards activities that have a favorable impact on the environment.
The FNG label is only awarded to funds which meet the quality standards for sustainable investments as defined by the Nachhaltige Geldanlagen Forum and which have been verified by an independent audit of the University of Hamburg. This certification contributes to the recognition of Ethos’ 25 years of expertise in sustainable finance.
As states from around the world gather in Glasgow for COP26 to try to find solutions to the climate crisis, the authors of a study published on Tuesday measure for the first time the investments required for the largest industrial companies listed in Switzerland to reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to zero and to continue to operate while preserving the planet's water and cropland reserves. Investments which should also allow them to ultimately save CHF 34 billion per year.
Following the rejection of the Responsible Business Initiative in November 2020, the Swiss Federal Council has been working on implementing the indirect counter-project adopted by the Swiss parliament. As the open consultation on a draft ordinance on the duties of diligence and transparency in the fields of minerals and metals from conflict zones and child labor (ODiTr) comes to an end, the Ethos Foundation regrets the lack of ambition of the new bill.
Two weeks before a key vote on the revision of the Swiss CO2 Act, the Ethos Foundation publishes a report dedicated to climate risks for pension funds and their policyholders. While there are various means for pension funds to manage these risks, a regulatory framework remains more necessary than ever to supervise and encourage sustainable and responsible investments. For this reason, the Ethos Foundation supports the revised CO2 Act. In addition, a public online conference is being organised on 10 June to discuss these questions.