Disclaimer
Please read this important information before proceeding further. It contains legal and regulatory notices relevant to the information contained on this website.
The information contained in the Website is NOT FOR RETAIL CLIENTS – The information contained in the Website is solely intended for professional investors, defined as investors which (1) qualify as professional clients within the meaning of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), (2) have requested to be treated as professional clients within the meaning of the MiFID or (3) are authorised to receive such information under any other applicable laws. The value of the investments may fluctuate. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Investors may not get back the amount originally invested. Neither Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. nor any of its affiliates guarantees the performance or the future returns of any investments. If the currency in which the past performance is displayed differs from the currency of the country in which you reside, then you should be aware that due to exchange rate fluctuations the performance shown may increase or decrease if converted into your local currency.
Robeco Institutional Asset Management UK Limited (“RIAM UK”) markets the Funds of Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (“ROBECO”) to institutional clients and professional investors only. Private investors seeking information about the Robeco Funds should consult with an Independent Financial Adviser. ROBECO will not be liable for any damages or losses suffered by private investors accessing the website.
RIAM UK is an authorised distributor for ROBECO Funds in the UK and has marketing approval for the funds listed on the website, all of which are UCITS Funds. ROBECO is authorised by the AFM and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Many of the protections provided by the United Kingdom regulatory framework may not apply to investments in ROBECO Funds, including access to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service. No representation, warranty or undertaking is given as to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this website.
If you are not an institutional client or professional investor, you should therefore not proceed. By proceeding, please note that we will be treating you as a professional client for regulatory purposes and you agree to be bound by our terms and conditions.
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Sustainable Investing
Social sustainability
Social sustainability – the S in ESG – relates to the rights, well-being and interests of people and communities. These issues include human rights, labor standards in the supply chain, child and forced labor, workplace health and safety, and relations with local communities. As such, social sustainability aims to improve the quality of human life at all levels.
In the workplace, this amounts to promoting equal opportunities for men and women, maintaining fair levels of pay, embracing diversity, and placing close attention to the impact of the company’s operations on its local population. A company that manages social issues well and takes the interests of its various local stakeholders into account, will obtain a ‘social license to operate’, meaning it wins acceptance or approval by local communities and stakeholders. This will facilitate the obtaining of government permits and ‘social permission’ to conduct its business. A company that does not address social issues risks reputational damage, increased costs and lawsuits.
In the wider world, social sustainability refers to the upkeep of human rights and the stability of a society within its governmental system. Research by the Country ESG Ranking (CER) shows that democracies have a much higher level of social sustainability than countries with autocratic rulers, and western nations also generally rank higher than emerging markets.
Creating returns that benefit the world we live in
Source: Robeco
The CER gives a 30% weighting to social issues. Of this weighting, one quarter (7.5%) focuses on the issue of ageing and its attendant problem of the ability to pay pensions, and another quarter on the capacity for social unrest. While countries such as Saudi Arabia habitually score poorly for social issues, large democracies can also face unrest, as seen when the US scored lower in 2020 due to riots over police killings of black people.
The concept of reducing inequality is also considerd to be one of three megatrends shaping the world, along with climate change and cybersecurity. These were discussed in Robeco’s 2018 Big Book of Sustainable Investing, which attempted to quantify the economic impact of rising inequality. A 2017 IMF paper found that the inequality above a certain level starts to have a negative impact on economic development, reducing GDP by up to 0.35 percentage points a year. Poor social cohesion has also been blamed for rising right-wing populism as those who feel they have been marginalized seek redress.
