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A sustainable investment achieves the same performance as a conventional investment. The difference is that sustainable investments take into account the long-term effects on society. This is described by the technical term ESG. The best way to understand is to compare an investment to medication: it comes with an information leaflet in the packaging, listing the side effects. The aim of a sustainable investment is to have as few side effects as possible whilst creating transparency at the same time. Traditional investments do not even pay any attention to the information leaflet.

The world population currently consumes the resources of about 1.7 earths. But we only have one earth. As a result, it is important for us to be committed to sustainability. Each individual bears responsibility – for the planet and for future generations. If we look at the performance of sustainable investments, we can see that they perform at least as well, and in many cases even better, than traditional investments. Financially and socially, there is therefore much to be said for sustainable investments.

When I look at my 17-year-old daughter, who is also participating in the “Fridays for Future” protests, I can safely say that this is something that will last. Companies and investors will find a different clientele in the future. This generation is proactively demanding that we become more ecologically aware and less egocentric. I believe that this trend will even grow.

Whether an investment is sustainable or traditional, it must always perform well. The key factors are risk, returns, liquidity and costs. When opting for sustainable investments, the investor must also consider which values are important to them. For example, does it matter if a company pays minimum wages, or that female workers have the same salaries as their male colleagues? You choose the investment according to your personal preferences and values. On the other hand, not every single aspect that you regard as sustainable will be feasible all the time. Even if you focus on sustainability as an investor, you have to be able to make compromises – that’s how things work in the real world.

Our core products include sustainable investment funds. We offer a selection of various equity and bond solutions that are optimized in terms of both the return profile and the sustainability profile. Other products include the Long Term Themes equity fund, which invests in companies concerned by sustainable megatrends such as the consequences of population growth, aging and urbanization.

The expansion of sustainable investments is one of the central themes of �۶���Ƶ’s corporate strategy. There will be new solutions to address sustainability issues across all asset classes. In defining these new products, we look at the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, the CO₂ footprint and sustainability ratings. But we also want the pension solutions available to Swiss private clients to be more sustainable. To let you into a little secret, there will be appropriate options for this at the beginning of next year.

Sustainability is suitable for everyone.

The general rule is: the sooner the better. But of course it depends on your individual situation in life. If a client wants to build a house in five years, then it is not advisable to invest in a high proportion of shares. That’s precisely why it’s worth obtaining advice from �۶���Ƶ. The advisor can work with the client to define which investment solution fits the client’s current situation.