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Zurich, 22 April 2021 – �۶���Ƶ Group AG has announced tougher environmental standards and will develop a detailed road map for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across all its operations by 2050. Our firm has long been on the path to a more sustainable future, as evidenced by our leading sustainability ratings as well as our strong sustainable finance business performance, and this is the next step in our journey. We’re appointing a Group Executive Board sponsor to lead our efforts on climate and sustainability, setting new financing standards and further evolving plans to support our clients’ transition to a low-carbon world. As a founding member, we’ll work closely with peers in the Net Zero Banking Alliance toward a lower-carbon global economy.

Suni Harford, President of �۶���Ƶ Asset Management (�۶���Ƶ AM), has been appointed Group Executive Board sponsor for Sustainability and Impact, where she will lead these efforts across the firm in line with our net zero commitments, in addition to her current responsibilities. Suni has played a central role in driving the expansion of �۶���Ƶ AM’s sustainable investing capabilities and the integration of ESG into the firm’s investment processes. She joined �۶���Ƶ in 2017 as �۶���Ƶ AM’s Head of Investments and prior to this worked at Citigroup for almost 25 years. Suni is also a co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Investing.

Today, with the publication of our Net Zero statement, we’re outlining our climate ambitions for the future that build on more than two decades of sustainability leadership and cover our company, our clients, communities and our employees.

How we interact with the larger world matters. We’ll work to address wealth inequality through a sharpened focus of our client and corporate philanthropy and employee-led Community Affairs activities on health and education – two key levers in forging a fairer, more prosperous society. We’ve set an ambitious goal to raise USD 1 billion in donations for our client philanthropy foundations and funds by 2025.

As a responsible employer, we’ll continue to shape a diverse and inclusive organization that is innovative, provides outstanding service to our clients, offers equitable opportunities and is a great place to work for everyone. We’ll hold ourselves accountable for our progress.

We’ll publish a comprehensive climate action plan later this year setting science-based targets, including intermediate milestones.

Group Chief Executive Officer Ralph Hamers: “We want to set the industry standard for sustainability with clear commitments to helping people and the planet. Suni Harford is a champion of sustainability with a strong track-record having embedded sustainable investing across our Asset Management division. She’s ideally positioned to lead our efforts across the firm as we, and our clients, transition to a low-carbon economy.”

Suni Harford, President of �۶���Ƶ Asset Management and Group Executive Board sponsor for Sustainability and Impact: “We’re preparing a detailed roadmap to net zero which places climate at the core of our sustainability strategy. It’s high on our clients’ agendas and we want to do more to help them on this journey.”

�۶���Ƶ provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. �۶���Ƶ's strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by Asset Management and the Investment Bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook.
�۶���Ƶ is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in more than 50 regions and locations, with about 30% of its employees working in the Americas, 31% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 20% in Asia Pacific. �۶���Ƶ Group AG employs over 68,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).


�۶���Ƶ Group AG

^1��Refer to the Sustainability Report 2020, available since 11 March 2021 under “Annual reporting” at ubs.com/investors, for more information