Sustainable investing
Influence
Take responsibility
With the influence that asset managers have comes responsibility and at Robeco we take this responsibility very seriously. We believe we can use the fact that we are active owners of the companies in which we invest to contribute to both investment results and society.
Know what you’re doing
We ensure that all decisions we take in the investment process are research-driven and well informed. We apply research-based, quality-driven processes to produce the best possible long-term results for our clients.
Do it with conviction
We believe that integrating ESG factors enables us to make better-informed investment decisions. Actively exercising our influence and stewardship responsibilities through engagement and voting is an integral part of Robeco’s approach to sustainable investing.
Active ownershipNumbering the influence
Source: Robeco, Stewardship Report 2023
*The assets-under-engagement/voting figures shown below are based on Robeco’s equity and credit portfolios for which we conduct engagements and voting. Robeco also votes and engages with clients whose portfolios are run by other asset managers; we call these ‘overlay clients’. In 2023, we had 11 overlay clients, representing roughly EUR 300 billion in assets.
billion assets under engagement*
billion assets under voting*
shareholder meetings voted
cases closed successfully
meetings voted against management
proposals we voted on
Master your tools
Influence in the form of deciding not to invest in a certain company or country through exclusion is perhaps the best-known method to let your money talk. If you don’t agree with a company’s product or behavior, then don’t fund them. However, exclusion has its limits; if others invest where you decided not to, your exclusion decision will have little impact. Furthermore, there are products and companies you perhaps would like to exclude, but that the current economy can simply not do without.
For these reasons, we focus most of our efforts on engaging with the companies we invest in where we can influence them to make changes for the better. We have a long track record in encouraging improvements in the sustainable characteristics of companies in this way. We can also use our influence by voting on issues at shareholder meetings – and voting against things we don’t like.
Our team of engagement specialists maintains an active dialogue with around 200 companies per year to influence corporate behavior. They also vote at around 7,000 shareholder meetings, often affecting policies within these companies.
Areas of influence
The ability to influence companies and make the world a better place is what makes sustainable investing worthwhile. We can use our position as a shareholder or bondholder to exert pressure on companies (and governments) to act in a more sustainable way. We can also put money to work directly by investing in companies and themes that align with sustainable development while avoiding those that do harm. Each year, we add new themes to our engagement program. Here’s our latest themes.
Net-zero emissions by 2050
Natural resource management
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Nature Action 100
Previous areas of influence
Collaboration is key
The impact of the tools we use to exert influence multiplies when used in collaboration with like-minded investors. As part of our commitment to making financial markets more sustainable, Robeco works with a diverse range of institutions such as the PRI, IIGCC and Climate Action 100+. Our active contribution to these important global platforms enables us to help shape the global investment agenda. A full list of applicable memberships can be downloaded here.
We endorse numerous codes of conduct and principles. Robeco is a signatory to the PRI and UNGC and a member of the ICGN. We have also signed the Dutch SDG Investing Agenda and several local stewardship codes.
Sustainability NetworksRobeco ranks number one in ShareAction Responsible Investment report
Robeco has once again been ranked number one in the ShareAction Responsible Investment Benchmark report and is the only asset manager to score an AA rating out of 77 global firms. This is the second time in a row Robeco has been ranked first place. ShareAction has been producing research on asset managers and asset owners since 2007. The primary aim of this work is to create a valuable public resource that allows diverse stakeholders to see how effective the largest institutional investors and asset managers are when it comes to responsible investment.
