Financial institutions launched Finance for Biodiversity Pledge during UN event

26 financial institutions with over € 3 trillion assets under management call upon world leaders and commit to reverse nature loss in this decade

25 September 2020 –  ACTIAM, Aegon Nederland, Allianz France, ASN Bank, ASR Nederland, AXA Group, Bankinter, Caisse de Dépôts, HBSC Global Asset Management, Karner Blue Capital, New Forests Pty Ltd, Piraeus Bank S.A, Robeco and Triple Jump are among 26 financial institutions from around the globe that launched the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge during the Nature for Life Hub at 25 September. In the Pledge the signatories commit to making a positive contribution to biodiversity through their activities and investments and call upon world leaders to reverse nature loss this decade. The CEO of AXA Group will speak on behalf of the signatories during the Biodiversity Summit of the United Nations General Assembly on 30 September.

Finance for Biodiversity Pledge

The 26 banks, asset managers, insurers and impact funds, with over €3 trillion in assets under management, collectively committed to collaborating, engaging, assessing their own biodiversity impact, setting targets and reporting on biodiversity matters by 2024 at the latest. An accompanying guidance document clarifies each commitment, providing sources and examples.

Urgent need to preserve biodiversity

The signatories recognize that the Earth’s biosphere is the foundation of human resilience and progress, and that it is under increasing stress. As financial institutions, they emphasize the need to protect biodiversity and to reverse nature loss in this decade, ahead of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in May 2021.

Collective commitment by the financial sector

The Finance for Biodiversity Pledge is a collective commitment by the finance sector itself. The pledge was established by a group of European financial institutions which have been working actively as members of the Finance and Biodiversity Community (F@B Community).

New signatories are very welcome to join

Financial institutions from all continents that are not yet involved with the Pledge are strongly encouraged to sign up to it. Please visit www.financeforbiodiversity.org for more information and to sign up.

The 26 signatories of the Pledge are: ACTIAM N.V., Achmea Investment Management, AEGON Nederland N.V., Allianz France, ASN Bank, ASR Nederland, Bank J. Safra Sarasin, Bankinter, AXA Group, Groupe Caisse des Dépôts, Domini Impact Investments LLC, Etica Sgr – Responsible Investments, HSBC Global Asset Management, Karner Blue Capital, Mirova, New Forests Pty Ltd, NN Investment Partners, NWB Bank, Piraeus Bank, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., Robeco, Triodos Bank, Triple Jump, UFF African Agri Investments, Vancity Investment Management and Volksbank.