Aegon

"I share the feeling of urgency voiced by many to take action to combat climate change by reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. With today’s announcements, Aegon is embarking on a journey to transition its investment portfolio to net-zero emissions by 2050. To live up to this commitment, we have set a first medium-term target, underpinned by concrete action plans. I am convinced that through building a sustainable company, we can create lasting value for all our stakeholders” Lard Friese, CEO, Aegon

AkademikerPension

“As investors, we need to play our part in making sure the economy recovers from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in a more sustainable way. It is key that we invest decisively in cleaner technologies and ask businesses and governments to do their part in breaking the curve on global warming and move to carbon neutrality. We look forward to sharing experiences and joining forces with like-minded investors to this end.”
- Jens Munch Holst, CEO, AkademikerPension

Alecta

“As investors we have a part to play in the climate transition, together with businesses, policy makers and society. Joining the Net-Zero Asset-Owners Alliance underlines Alecta’s commitment to strengthen our portfolio’s alignment with the Paris Agreement. We aim to use our voice as owners and engage with companies to increase climate disclosure and transition, to explore new investment opportunities that align good returns and positive climate impact, and to contribute to the development of tools and methods for integration of climate in investment analysis.”
- Magnus Billing, CEO, Alecta

Allianz SE

“Mitigating climate change is the challenge of our lifetime. Politics, business, and societies across the globe need to act as one to rapidly reduce climate emissions. We, as asset owners, will live up to our responsibility and, in dialogue with companies in which we invest, steer towards low-carbon business practices. We've already started and, by 2050, our portfolios will be climate neutral."
- Oliver Baete, CEO, Allianz

AMF Pension

"As a pension company, with customer relationships often lasting for decades, a long-term investment horizon is a natural and necessary approach for us. Integrating sustainability in our asset management –in particular risks and opportunities following climate change – is necessary if we want to fulfil our obligations not only today but also in fifty or a hundred years. Following our commitment to the Paris agreement, we want to be part of the transition towards a low-carbon economy and continuously work with alignment of our investment portfolio with the 1.5 degree target. Therefore, the goal of net-zero emission motivates us, and we look forward to being a part of this promising and timely initiative."
- Johan Sidenmark, CEO, AMF Pension

ARC Ltd

“We believe it is ARC Limited’s duty to play a leadership role in mitigating and managing the effects of climate change on the African continent by supporting the promises made six years ago at the Paris Climate Agreement and tackling the root cause of these devastating and disruptive climate change events in Africa; a continent that depends so heavily on the highly impacted agriculture sector for its economy and employment.” – Lesley Ndlovu, ARC Ltd CEO

Aviva plc

“Contributing to a more sustainable world is at the heart of our purpose. We’re investing with sustainability in mind, are engaging with companies through active stewardship and have been lowering our footprint for some time now. We want to accelerate our efforts. It makes good business sense, and it matters to our customers, partners, and the communities we work in. We will continue to make positive changes and are therefore proud to join the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.”
- Maurice Tulloch, Former CEO, Aviva

AXA – Group Management Services

“Our target is to contain the ‘warming potential’ of our investments to 1.5°C by 2050. But because we operate in a business environment which is not ‘Paris-aligned’, our investment universe is far above 1.5°C today. This is why we undertake this commitment with the expectation that governments and the actors of the ‘real economy’ will also take and implement meaningful climate commitments which we are keen to support. That is also why we have decided to join the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, which is precisely designed to push this agenda. As part of this Alliance, we are notably looking forward to contributing to the development of common metrics and methodologies”
- Thomas Buberl, CEO, AXA Group

Bayerische Versorgungskammer

“Given the urgency with which climate change is to be tackled, asset owners such as ourselves want to use their investment strategies on a worldwide scale to help limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 °C in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. For us, sustainability has long been a key focus, and we will render our contribution to achieving a climate-neutral economy.” CIO André Heimrich

BNP Paribas Cardif

"Joining the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance marks a significant further step forward in BNP Paribas Cardif’s responsible investment strategy. This broad initiative concretely reflects our commitments and offers a powerful lever to drive the energy transition.” Pauline Leclerc-Glorieux, CEO of BNP Paribas Cardif and member of the BNP Paribas Executive Committee.

BT PS Management

“Asset owners are uniquely placed to use their influence to drive decarbonisation and influence who has access to capital through setting targets to tackle climate change. But we cannot achieve this goal alone. Working in collaboration with other asset owners through the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance will not only be invaluable in supporting our goal, but we hope that working with others will also help the industry achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.”
- Morten Nilsson, CEO, BT PS Management

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

“The Net-Zero Alliance is the recognition that institutional investors collectively have an important role to play in fostering the energy transition the world needs. For investors like CDPQ, there are so many opportunities to earn commercial returns by investing in low-carbon solutions and to work with portfolio companies to decarbonize. Combined with the necessary changes in public policies, investors’ actions will induce real change in every sector.”
- Michael Sabia, CEO, CDPQ

Caisse des Dépôts

“For nearly 20 years, Caisse des Dépôts has been actively involved in the fight against global warming, with concrete and quantifiable results. As an institutional investor, it is proud to commit to a 1.5°C roadmap today. This ambition is strong and must be supported by a rigorous methodology, to which Caisse des Dépôts’ teams will actively contribute. By joining this alliance, we want to take a further step in aligning our financings with the Paris Agreement objectives and send a strong signal to the companies in which we took participations, creating therefore a leverage effect on the whole economy.”
- Eric Lombard, CEO, CDC

CalPERS

“CalPERS recognizes that climate change poses urgent and systemic risk given our responsibility to protect our members financial assets and provide the long term returns that can pay pensions for this and coming generations. The net zero alliance gives us the platform to drive the change needed to achieve the demanding goals of the Paris Agreement. We are committed to the advocacy, engagement and integration of climate risk and opportunity across our portfolio to meet that challenge as fiduciaries to nearly 2 million Californian public servants”
- Marcie Frost, CEO, CalPERS

Cbus

“Cbus recognizes that to decarbonize the global economy in line with the Paris Agreement requires collective action. Cbus is determined to play our part in these global advocacy efforts. The climate solutions we invest in should strengthen community resilience. Every investor has to be mindful to the risks of leaving communities behind"
- Kristian Fok, CIO, Cbus

Church Commissioners for England

“Working with NZAOA is part of our long-term commitment to fight the urgent climate crisis, and its work will help us to meet our targets. We are committed to reducing the carbon intensity of our investment portfolio by 25% by 2025 and to net zero by 2050.” – Tom Joy, CIO, Church Commissioners for England.

Church of England Pensions Board

“As part of our commitment to the Paris Agreement, the Church Commissioners are pleased formally to state our commitment to transition our investment portfolio to net zero emissions by 2050. We urge all governments, investors and companies also to commit to net zero 2050 to address the climate emergency. Climate change is the challenge of our age. The 2020s are the decade in which we need to make decisive progress, both halting the growth in global GHG emissions and setting the world on course to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.”
- Andrew Brown, CEO of the Church Commissioners for England

CNP Assurances

“We are pleased to contribute, together with the other members of the Alliance and under the aegis of the United Nations, to this remarkable initiative to limit global warming and meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. We want to work with all French asset-owners to create a real dynamic and achieve carbon neutrality in our portfolios by 2050.”
- Antoine Lissowski, CEO, CNP Assurances

Crédit Agricole Assurances

“By signing up to the PSI and the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, we are taking a step further in our commitment to sustainable insurance and to helping combat climate change. In light of the major social and environmental challenges facing our societies, we are fully convinced of the positive impact of incorporating ESG criteria into all our activities.” - Philippe Dumont, CEO of Crédit Agricole Assurances.

Dai-ichi Life Insurance

“As an asset owner that manages assets of 36 trillion yen, sourced from insurance premiums of approximately 10 million customers throughout Japan, the company has already been proactively expanding and furthering initiatives for ESG investments.”
- Kazuyuki Shigemoto, Executive Officer, Dai-ichi Life Insurance

Danica Pension

“Having long-term ambitions is a good thing but acting in a timely manner is even more important. That is why we significantly increased our investments in the green transformation in the first quarter this year, and we are going to develop individual milestones for our carbon footprint from our investments towards 2023, 2025 and 2030.”
- Ole Krogh Petersen, CEO, Danica Pension

David Rockefeller Fund

“The David Rockefeller Fund believes that it is critical for us — as a private, endowed family foundation committed to climate solutions — to align our investment portfolio with science-based targets for climate change mitigation. As the first foundation to join the Alliance, we hope to help pave the net-zero path for climate-concerned foundations to be aligned with the Paris Climate goals. As the third American asset owner to join the Alliance, we also hope to shine a light on climate-aware investing within our country.”
- Nili Gilbert, Trustee and Investor Committee Chairwoman, the David Rockefeller Fund

ERAFP

“As an institutional investor, it is our responsibility to contribute to carbon neutrality by 2050. For that reason, for ERAFP, joining the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is no longer a challenge but a duty: it will be a question of leading the way by engaging with companies, in order to adjust their business models and, as a result, to align our portfolio more closely with our long-term commitments.”
- Laurent Galzy, CEO, ERAFP

Folksam Group

“The Folksam Group has worked with responsible investments for nearly 20 years and we were part of the investor group that founded the UN PRI. Our good experience of collaborative engagements and the clear commitment we have signed set high expectations on the outcome of the Alliance. We believe in active ownership and that an asset owner can make a difference in the needed transition towards a 1.5 degree world. I wish that we in 2050, at the latest, can look back and see that companies have made the climate transition we have been part in pushing and encouraging them to do.”
- Michael Kjeller, Executive Vice President and Head of Asset Management and Sustainability, Folksam Group

French Public Pension Fund (FRR)

“FRR is proud to be part of this asset owners’ initiative, which is aligned with our Responsible Investment Strategy. Given the urgency in climate issues, this strategy ushers in a new phase that will drive ambition further by increasing accountability at all portfolio levels and involving the entire financial management ecosystem to underline the leadership role assumed by the FRR over many years. Through this initiative, FRR will work with its peers in a realistic and efficient approach.”
- Yves Chevalier, Executive Director, FRR

Generali Group – Assicurazioni Generalil S.p.A.

“We are proud to be part of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance. It is about walking the talk and further aligning our investment portfolio to our long-term commitments. As a financial services operator we feel the responsibility of contributing to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.”
- Tim Ryan, Group Chief Investment Officer and CEO, Asset & Wealth Management, Generali

Gothaer Insurance Group

Our generation lives today in an unprecedented time of peace and economic prosperity. The biggest challenge of our time is taking responsible action for the future of our global society. Decisions, that we take today, will deeply impact the lives of our children and generations to come, and they cannot be rewritten in the future. Being one of the market leaders in insuring the renewable energy segment, Gothaer in particular is shaping the future by contributing to the transformation of the economy and society. We accomplish this by defining a clear path towards net zero emissions in our investment portfolio, by assisting our customers to transform their businesses and lives through our insurance offering, and by our own contribution to net zero as a meaningful company and member of society. Becoming a part of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is a clear commitment to this responsibility. - Oliver Schöller, CEO.

HanseMerkur

"Climate change is a challenge we can only meet working hand in hand on a global scale. The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance offers a holistic approach, enabling the finance industry to live up to its responsibility. HanseMerkur is a mutual insurance company that has stood for responsible corporate behavior for around 150 years. We see our commitment to sustainability also as a manifestation of our core values of community and intergenerational justice” - CEO, Eberhard Sautter

HUK-COBURG Versicherungsgruppe

“Since its founding, HUK-COBURG has stood for sustainable business practices in the best interests of its members. For us, this obviously includes to contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement climate goals. Investments play a major role in this contribution. We are therefore pleased to join the “Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance”, supporting the joint effort to reduce CO2 emissions in investment portfolios to net zero by 2050.” - Thomas Sehn, CFO.

Intesa Sanpaolo Vita Insurance Group

We are extremely proud to join the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance. As a Group we are strongly committed on ESG and we believe in the key role of Insurance to guide and safe and fair shift to net zero economy. With more than € 200 billion of assets under management, we believe we can set a standard and example in the Italian insurance market and accelerate the transition towards a net zero economy. We are very pleased to bring our expertise to the table, working closely with other market leaders to make real impacts towards this vital objective. We are eager to offer our contribution in bringing tangible results in making sustainability and net-zero a priority for the industry, promoting a better and more sustainable world for our employees, our customers and our planet. - Nicola M. Fioravanti – CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo Vita Insurance Group.

KENFO

“KENFO is proud to become part of the alliance as the first sovereign fund. We believe that such a strong community will be an important contributor in aligning our finance industry and business environment with the goals of the Paris Agreement. As an institutional investor we need to understand the impact of the necessary transition towards a sustainable future on the economy.”
- Anja Mikus , CEO, KENFO

L&G Group

“Joining the Net Zero Asset Owners Alliance is important to Legal and General. We are committed to net zero by 2050 and to key quantifiable reductions to our carbon footprint along the way. The financial sector needs to move from pledges to actions, and NZAOA will play an important role in that process.” CEO Nigel Wilson

Laegernes Pension

“Lægernes Pension represents close to 50.000 Medical Doctors in the Danish health care sector. Successfully managing the transition to a low-carbon economy is crucial to our members and the Paris Agreement has therefore been part of our investment policy since 2016. Joining the Alliance is a natural next step in achieving our goal of a net-zero portfolio by 2050 at the latest. The 2020s will be a critical decade for investors, companies and regulators in getting on track to net-zero. We therefore commit ourselves to setting short term targets and look forward to work with like-minded investors on this important matter” - Chresten Dengsøe, CEO

Landwirtschaftlicher Versicherungsverein Münster (LVM)

“At LVM, investment portfolio sustainability means supporting the transformation to a sustainable society through responsible investments. Aligning our investments with the model of a climate-neutral economy suits the legal form of LVM, a mutual insurance company which has stood for responsible corporate behavior for 125 years. Sustainable action has always been a fundamental part of our corporate strategy. We are proud to join the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance as one of the first German insurance companies, to support the joint effort of achieving net-zero GHG emissions in investment portfolios by 2050.” - Ludger Grothues, CFO.

M&G plc

“As a business and as an asset owner we’re continuing to take the right steps towards a sustainable future on behalf of our five million UK policyholders and savers. Setting and delivering on ambitious net-zero emissions targets to tackle climate change is the right thing to do for our policyholders, our customers and the planet, and just as importantly, we believe that where major asset owners lead, others will follow.” - John Foley, Chief Executive of M&G plc.

MAIF

“Committed to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investments since 2009, MAIF has put responsible investment at the heart of its investment policy. In 2020, we strengthened our commitment and adopted a climate strategy in order to align our investments with the Paris Agreement objectives to limit global warming. With this goal at the forefront of our minds we are committed to achieving the +1,5°C climate target before 2030. To further our engagement in the energy transition, we have become a member of the NZAOA which enables us to accelerate the implementation of our climate strategy. We hope to achieve collectively one of the biggest challenges we have seen this century.“ - Pascal DEMURGER, CEO.

Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company

We strongly believe that we can enhance the work on ESG issues with global network and gather information by joining the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance. This initiative enables us to contribute to the promotion of information disclosure globally and reduce greenhouse gas. In addition, we also believe that this commitment will contribute to the advancement to our responsible investment framework" - Masao Aratani, Director, Deputy President and Chief Executive,the Investment Division

Munich Reinsurance Company

“We at Munich Re are committed to making our investment portfolio carbon-neutral by 2050. We are therefore expanding our climate strategy and taking a share of the responsibility.The world’s leading companies are setting the issue higher on their agendas, which is creating an opportunity for us to bundle our strengths in combating climate change.”
- Joachim Wenning , CEO, Munich Re

Nippon Life Insurance Company

"Nippon Life has put emphasis on the engagement with investee companies over the course of decades and built trust in the relationship. The pathways to carbon neutrality vary depending on each countries, regions, industries and companies. Through the long-term patient engagement based on trust in the relationship with investees in various situation, we boost their efforts toward decarbonization and aim to meet our net-zero target by 2050.We feel very encouraged to work on this ambitious and tenacious initiatives together with the Alliance members" - Akiko Osawa, Chief Investment Officer, Nippon Life Insurance Company

Nordea Life & Pension

“Asset owners have an important role in the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy. We strongly believe that such a transition requires clear commitments, joint industry efforts and full transparency. We have joined the alliance because it represents a strong platform for enabling this.”
- Katja Bergqvist, CEO Nordea Life & Pension

Novartis Pension Funds

P+ Pension Fund for Academics

“We believe that our commitment to the Asset Owner Alliance is a key milestone to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Our commitment is part of our new ambitious climate strategy, where we have defined specific actions in order to bring our portfolios on track to reduce emissions in line with the 2050 target.The target is clear, however there are still some challenges and complexities on how and to which path the goals of the Paris Agreement should be achieved. In this regard, we see the Net-Zero AOA as a unique platform to cooperate with other asset owners and together define targets and tools to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy and achieve real world impact, and we look forward to be part of it.”
- Søren Kolbye Sørensen, CEO P+, Pension Fund for Academics

Pensioenfonds Detailhandel

“Climate change affects us all and requires urgent action. As the pension fund for the Dutch retail sector we are committed to contributing to the Paris Climate Accord in order to provide our beneficiaries with the best returns, whilst transforming to a greener future. We cannot achieve this goal alone. Becoming a member of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance will allow us to collaborate with other asset owners to reach this goal, and it will allow us to further enhance our climate approach. We are excited and eager to join NZAOA” - Henk Groot, Head of Investment, Pensioenfonds Detailhandel

Pension Investment Corporation

“The response by government and asset owners to climate change is one of the defining issues of our age. PIC recognises the urgency of curbing global warming in line with the Paris Agreement and we are proud to be part of that effort. We fundamentally believe that achieving Net Zero is the right thing to do both for society and for our policyholders as we fulfil our purpose over the coming decades" - Tracy Blackwell, CEO

PensionDanmark

“To achieve net-zero emissions in the real economy by 2050 we will need to enhance the impact we make ourselves as investors in new clean technologies, renewable energy infrastructure and sustainable buildings among others in order to provide realistic and feasible alternatives for the big CO2-emitters to change their businesses. Against this background the Alliance can act together as active owners and ask companies to transform their business models to comply with the Paris agreement and limit the temperature increase to 1.5C.”
- Torben Möger Pedersen, CEO, PensionDanmark

PFA

“With more than 1.3 million clients, PFA has a special obligation to contribute to sustainable development of our society. Therefore, we have been working with integrating responsibility and sustainability in our investments for several years, and we are now taking a further step by committing to making our investment portfolio carbon-neutral by 2050.”
- Allan Polack, Group CEO, PFA

Phoenix Group

"At Phoenix, we are building a strong and sustainable business that will deliver for all our stakeholders, adding value now and for future generations. As the UK’s largest long term savings and retirement business with more than 14 million policyholders, we have a clear purpose which is to help as many people as possible secure a life of possibilities. Phoenix was among the first insurers, if not the first UK insurer, to make a clear commitment to help tackle climate change in line with science based targets, pledging to be net zero carbon by 2025 in its operations and 2050 in its investment portfolio. We are proud to join the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance and to collaborate and work with our peers to build a better future for our planet.” CIO Michael Eakins

PKA

“As a pension fund representing more than 335,000 Danish healthcare employees and social workers, responsibility is a core value for us and our members. We have been working with green investments and climate mitigation for more than two decades, and we have committed ourselves to bringing all our investments in line with the targets of the Paris Agreement. To do that we need to set solid targets and show a path towards a net zero portfolio by 2050 at the latest. It is an ambitious goal but working with other responsible investors in the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance it is undoubtedly obtainable.”
- Jon Johnsen, CEO, PKA

Prudential plc

“Any future climate crisis will disproportionately affect the communities we serve in Asia and Africa. As a steward of long-term capital and a protector of people’s lives, we need to use our scale and expertise to drive decarbonisation at pace – and to do so in a way which is just and fully inclusive, is engaged with our stakeholders and delivers green growth which benefits everyone. Prudential intends to play the fullest possible role in the transition to the net-zero future which is essential if global temperature rises are to be controlled.” CEO Mike Wells

QBE GROUP

“Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement requires collective action and we’re pleased to be working with our peers through the Asset Owner Alliance to transition our investment portfolio to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
- Richard Pryce, QBE Interim Group CEO

Rothesay

“It is vital that the insurance industry works together to deliver a clear pathway to net zero and that we champion the regular reporting needed to keep our efforts on track. We are pleased to join the Net Zero Alliance and support its work which we see as a fundamental part of our commitment to providing our policyholders with security for the future.” CEO Addy Loudiadis

SCOR SE

“SCOR is pleased to join the Alliance to promote the transition to a post-coal economy. As a Tier 1 global reinsurer, SCOR has a long-term commitment to the fight against climate change. Protecting people and property from disasters and encouraging sustainable development, particularly in a context of intensified climate risk and extreme events, are integral parts of the Group’s mission. By joining this initiative and implementing new measures to support the energy transition, SCOR is further strengthening its sustainable approach to investment, as set out in its ‘Quantum Leap’ strategic plan.”
- Denis Kessler, Chairman, CEO SCOR

Societe Generale Assurances

“Societe Generale Assurances has made CSR a key element of its strategy, around three axis : responsible insurer, responsible investor and responsible employer. The adhesion to the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is fully part of our will to act quickly and concretely in favour of the climate transition.” Philippe Perret, CEO, Societe Generale Assurances

SparkassenVersicherung

"As an insurer with a long tradition and a corporate history stretching back over 250 years, SV SparkassenVersicherung is committed to its social responsibility. Sustainability and social responsibility are core pillars of our strategy and part of our DNA. Climate change is one of the major challenges of the 21st century and represents an existential risk for humanity. We will make our contribution as an investor to pave the way to a climate-neutral economy." - Dr Andreas Jahn, CEO.

St. James’s Place Wealth Management

“Making a climate commitment is imperative to help our clients achieve financial well-being in a world worth living in. Supporting the transition to a low carbon economy makes economic sense and, as responsible stewards of our clients’ assets, we must be proactively looking at the risks and opportunities posed by climate change. We are proud to be aligning our investment principles and engagement activities with the Alliance, helping accelerate the global transition to carbon neutrality.”
- Andrew Croft,CEO St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Stichting pensioenfonds IBM Nederland

"The consequences of unchecked climate change are already playing out in front of our eyes. The window of opportunity for an orderly transition to a Paris aligned world is closing fast. Collective action must start today if we are to reach net zero by 2050, action from private individuals, governments, corporations and investors alike. We are convinced that together with our NZAOA partners we can help drive the change required." - Stichting pensioenfonds IBM Nederland Executive Difrector Wouter A.P. van Eechoud.

Stichting Pensioenfonds Medisch Specialisten (SPMS)

"SPMS is a Dutch pension fund representing over 17,000 medical professionals. We believe mitigating climate risk to be instrumental in continuing to provide pensions to our participants in the future. Moreover, we consider climate risk to pose an increasing threat to general health care and the well-being of all people. Joining the UN Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance strengthens our efforts in tackling one of the major challenges of our and future generations. We aim to be active owners, using the instruments of voting and engagement to facilitate change, and to invest in climate solutions that offer both a positive societal impact and the prospect of sound financial returns." - Jacques van Dijken, CEO SPMS.

Storebrand

“Our pensions, savings and investments are one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to address the massive challenges raised by the IPCC Reports. We can no longer overlook the impact we all can have if we move our resources towards a clean energy future. The Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance is a great opportunity and a force for change. Sustainable investments are already generating good returns showing that a sound investment strategy is a win-win for people, planet and profit.”
- Odd Arild Grestad, CEO Storebrand

Sumitomo Life Insurance

“Sumitomo Life is delighted to join the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance. As a responsible asset owner, we are committed to net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and regularly reporting on progress. Our efforts to contribute to the realization of a sustainable society will be intensified by joining the Alliance, and it is a great pleasure to work together with other asset owners” - Iwao Matsumoto, CIO at Sumitomo Life Insurance Company.

Swiss Reinsurance Company Ltd

“As an early mover to integrate ESG across our investment portfolio, committing to a net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 is a great extension to our approach.”
- Guido Fürer, Group Chief Investment Officer, Swiss Re

The Co-operators

“The Co-operators has embraced our responsibility to embed sustainability into all of our investment and operational decision. We’ve focused on building climate resilience through our products, services and investments, and are committed to mitigating climate impacts through our net-zero targets. Through the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, we can lead positive change toward a sustainable, resilient, and low-emissions future" – Rob Wesseling, President and CEO

UNIQA

“Within our sustainable business approach the productive collaboration among financial institutions to jointly meet Paris-aligned CO2-targets is key. We are proud to be part of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance to turn our commitment on climate-neutrality into actionand reduce emissions to net-zero (Group 2050/Austria 2040). We support the alliance and feel well placed in a community of engaged peers.” - Andreas Brandstetter, CEO

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (NJSPF)

“As a pension fund with long-term investment horizons and liabilities, UNJSPF is vulnerable to the financial impact resulting from both transition and physical risks caused by climate change. It is our fiduciary duty to protect the long-term financial interest of our beneficiaries.”
- Pedro Antonio Guazo Alonso, Representative of the Secretary-General for the investment of the assets of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation

“As owners of long-term financial assets, universities can play a key role in promoting and advancing the transition to a low-carbon economy. As the investment manager of the University of Toronto, UTAM is keen to intensify its efforts in this regard with like-minded members of the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, building on our momentum and acting concretely on multiple fronts to achieve our net zero goal. The climate crisis has underscored the urgent need for asset owners to work together to drive change, innovate, set standards and take structured actions in line with science. The Alliance is one of the essential venues for such efforts” - Chuck O’Reilly, President and Chief Investment Officer, University of Toronto Asset Management Corporation.

Univest

"Univest, which oversees the assets of Unilever’s largest global pension funds, recognises that the transformation of the global economy to a more sustainable footing is underway, and that an economy-wide shift to net zero emissions needs to take place. We believe that we must work to position our investments to mitigate the risks associated with this transformation and to take advantage of the opportunities it presents. Key to managing these risks is our goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest, with an intermediate target of reducing carbon intensity by 30% in our equity and corporate bond portfolios by 2025." We know that we cannot achieve these ambitions alone, and we look forward to working with other investors through the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance to support the achievement of our goals, but also in the hope that together as a group we can drive industry-wide change to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.” Rianne Lemsom, VP Univest

VidaCaixa S.A.U de Seguros y Reaseguros

“VidaCaixa is the leading insurance company in Spain, focused on Life Insurance and Pension fund management. Responsible investment has been part of our investment process for more than 15 years. We have been a signatory to the PRI since 2009 and as a subsidiary of CaixaBank Group, a UNEP FI member. VidaCaixa is committed to a low-carbon economy transition and will, through its adhesion to the Alliance, advance its alignment with the the Paris Agreement 1.5C target.” - Javier Valle, CEO, VidaCaixa

Vita Collective Foundation

Awareness of climate change has risen. Our insurance clients are putting more and more emphasis on their retirement provision assets being sustainably invested. The Vita Collective Foundation devotes itself to balanced and secure occupational retirement provision for all generations. As a responsible investor, we pursue a holistic and positive sustainability approach. We take ESG criteria into account and make impact-oriented investments in companies and projects with a positive ESG effect — contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Membership in the Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance allows us to exchange experiences with asset owners with a similar outlook and supports us in achieving our joint goal: the sustainable decarbonization of the economy. - Nicolas Schneider, CEO.

Wespath

“As the steward for the largest single pool of faith-based pension assets in the world, Wespath has a long history of investing in ways that deliver strong investment returns and pursuing efforts to promote building a sustainable economy. As a prudent fiduciary to our pension participants and institutional investors, we endeavor to align investment activities with efforts to achieve long-term, sustainable economic growth. By partnering with like-minded asset owners, we can collectively influence the development of stable financial markets, resilient companies and a healthier world for all of us. We are pleased to join the Net-Zero Alliance and formally state our ambitions.”
- Barbara Boigegrain, General Secretary and CEO, Wespath

Zurich Insurance Group

“Our customers across the globe are facing the challenges associated with climate change already today. That is why we strongly believe that asset owners like Zurich must act now to tackle those challenges, in particular – by leveraging capital markets to fund solutions to the pressing environmental issues of our time. After signing earlier this year the UN Global Compact Business Ambition for 1.5°C pledge, we are delighted to join the Asset Owner Alliance, which is an important step in transitioning towards a low-carbon economy.”
- Urban Angehrn, Group Chief Investment Officer, Zurich Insurance Group