Contribute to the environment, social conditions and good governance
A good and affordable pension for our members, that is the main goal of Mars Pension Fund. We can only achieve our goal by investing our money. And to achieve the best possible return on our investments each year. Without running unacceptable risks. There is no such thing as investment without risk.
Sustainable investment has gained more and more ground in recent years. What is sustainable investment? Opinions differ on this. All opinions do have one thing in common. Sustainable investment always involves attention to improving the environment and social conditions. But it also has to do with the way in which companies are run (corporate governance).
Mars Pension Fund and sustainability risks
The pension fund believes that sustainability risks* should be included in the general risk considerations in order to make well-considered investment decisions and to best represent the long-term interests of our members and pensioners. The result can't always be simply expressed in return. All investments are outsourced by Mars Pension Fund to external asset managers. These asset managers work based on investment guidelines with investment return and risk considerations. Sustainability risks are taken into account by Mars Pension Fund in our supervision of the investments and the asset managers of Mars Pension Fund. In addition, we encourage asset managers to find pragmatic solutions to ESG risks.
*) Sustainability risk is an environmental, social or governance event or condition which, if it occurs, could have an actual or potential adverse effect on the value of the investment.
Step by step
That may sound easier than it is. We need to explore all possibilities and determine what suits us best. In 2019, we started to look at what does and does not work well in practice. In this way, we are constantly refining our sustainable investment policy. Our investment policy will therefore not change overnight, but step by step.
A good pension remains our main goal!
Sustainability is important. But our main goal as a pension fund is a good pension for our members and pensioners. Now and later.
So as a pension fund, we always have a focus on the long term. That's the way it is, and that's the way it's going to stay.
SFDR: regulation of sustainability information
SFDR is a recent EU regulation aimed at providing transparency into the extent to which 'sustainability' plays a role in the investment portfolio. The focus of the regulation is mainly on investment funds and institutions, and not so much on pension funds, although transparency is important for them too.