Amundi, Europe’s leading asset manager, continues to develop new solutions that allow investors to participate to the preservation of natural capital in line with the recently unveiled strategic plans of Amundi and the Crédit Agricole Group. Today, it announces the launch of the Amundi Responsible Investing Euro Credit Biodiversity fund, available both to institutional and retail investors seeking a thematic biodiversity allocation within the Euro credit bond universe.
Amaury d’Orsay, head of the Fixed Income platform at Amundi, declared: “Biodiversity loss is a material economic risk as it disrupts supply chains, lowers productivity and devaluates real assets. At the same time, investing in the biodiversity thematic is gaining traction and can be channeled through tailored fixed income investment solutions. At Amundi, we are committed to remain at the forefront of innovation – developing new responsible investment solutions that embed biodiversity considerations while actively engaging with companies to support their transition.”
Elodie Laugel, chief responsible investment officer at Amundi declared: “This initiative is fully in line with our strategic priority to continue developing new solutions for the preservation of natural capital.”
Managed by Alban de Faÿ, Head of Responsible Fixed Income Investments, and Daniela Montezuma, Credit portfolio manager, the fund delivers financial characteristics comparable to the traditional credit market. At the same time, it seeks exposure to sectors with high biodiversity stakes and integrates biodiversity preservation, restoration , and ESG criteria into its issuer selection process and portfolio construction.
With an active Euro corporate debt strategy, the fund is built based on a robust management process underpinned by recognized fundamental research and ESG expertise – including a proprietary biodiversity investment framework that addresses drivers of biodiversity loss structured around three pillars:
- Exclusion of issuers with significant negative impact on biodiversity
- Reduction of pressure on biodiversity by managing the portfolio’s biodiversity footprint, and favoring companies with the best biodiversity practices assessed via an in-house biodiversity score
- Selection of activities and projects that promote biodiversity preservation and restoration
Additionally, direct engagement with investee companies will be put in place to drive better management of their biodiversity impacts and dependencies.
The fund Amundi Responsible Investment Euro Credit Biodiversity seeks to increase the value of investment (mainly through income) over the 3 years recommended holding period, while achieving a biodiversity score greater than that of the investment universe. The sub-fund promotes ESG characteristics pursuant to Article 8 of the Disclosure Regulation.
The fund is available to all types of investors in more than 10 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
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