Release of the 2021 Responsible Investment Brand Index

Asset managers struggle to incorporate ESG in their brands and must emphasise their role in the construction of a safer and fairer future.

- The 4^th edition of the Hirschel & Kramer Responsible Investment Brand Index (RIBI™) expands its universe of evaluated companies to 500+ asset managers globally.

- All global Top-10 companies are European, with the North America Region and the Rest of the World lagging.

- Nearly half of all asset managers express a reason for being ('Purpose'), but few do so with conviction and less than one in four link it to advancing society.

GENEVA, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At first glance, the 2021 RIBI results indicate a 'one step forward, two steps backward' dynamic for the asset management industry. While great strives are being made to incorporate ESG measures consciously, only one asset manager out of six makes into the coveted Avant-Gardists category.

On a regional basis, Europe is leading the way. A full quarter of European asset managers link their Reason-for-being (Purpose) to generating monetary returns for investors as well as thinking consciously about advancing society as whole (up nearly 6% vs. 2020).

Global Top-10 Companies 2021:

1.    Federated Hermes International

2.    AXA Investment Managers

3.    Schroders

4.    Candriam

5.    NN Investment Partners

6.    DPAM

7.    Mirova

8.    Etica SGR

9.    BNP Paribas Asset Management

10. Sycomore Asset Management

This is in stark contrast to the North America region, where an equal number of companies (nearly half) state a Purpose, but less than two in 10 asset managers are making the link to connecting their ambitions to societal goals. As the largest region in terms of both the number of players as well as total assets under management, this offers cause for concern.

Join our short global launch webinar today at 15:00 CET: web.ri-brandindex.org/ribi-launch-2021

The full 2021 Responsible Investment Brand Index (incl. regional level and country-level Top-10), methodology and further information is available at www.ri-brandindex.org.

About the Index

RIBI™ identifies which asset management companies act as responsible investors and commit to sustainable development to the extent that they put it at the very heart of who they are, i.e., in their brand. It aggregates the analysis of all 539 asset managers listed in the Investment & Pensions Europe Journal Top 500 as of December 31, 2020.

Media contact: Lucas Moergelin, +41 44 254 80 00, contact@ri-brandindex.org

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