UBS Group commitment

What sustainability means to UBS

We all know finance has a powerful influence on the world. At UBS, we reimagine the power of people and capital, to create a better world for everyone: a fairer society, a more prosperous economy and a healthier environment. That is why we partner with our clients to help them mobilize their capital towards a more sustainable world. And this is why we have put sustainability at the heart of our business.

We want to be the financial provider of choice for clients who wish to shift investments towards the achievement of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Ultimately driving our focus to three key areas to help achieve said transition:

Our priorities

Planet

Making climate a clear priority as we shift towards a low-carbon future.

People

Addressing societal challenges through client and corporate philanthropy as well as employee engagement.

Partnerships

Working with other thought leaders to achieve impact on a truly global scale.

Our long history in Sustainability at UBS Group AG

UNEP FI

1992

UBS among the first signatories of the United Nations Environment Programme Bank Declaration (UNEP FI)

1° SRI Fund

1997

First Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) funds launched

UBS Optimus Foundation

1999

Founding of UBS Optimus Foundation

Investment Banking ESG research

2005

ESG research within the Investment Bank launched

Climate strategy

2006

Introduction of comprehensive climate strategy

PRI Signatory

2009

UBS becomes signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment

UBS in Society

2014

Founding of UBS in Society, a program to further focus the bank on sustainable performance

Dow Jones Sustainability Index

2015

Sustainability industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Climate Aware

2017

UBS launches Climate Aware and Global Impact Equity strategies

100% sustainable allocation

2018

UBS’s first 100% sustainable cross-asset allocation for private clients launched

Exclusion

2019

UBS bans project-level financing on new coal-fired power plants

Net Zero AM Initiative

2020

UBS-AM becomes a Founding signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative

Net Zero Banking Alliance

2021

Founding signatory to Net Zero Banking Alliance

*UBS Group AG & UBS Asset Management, as of September 2022

Our key commitments

Our group commitment to sustainability goes beyond our own initiatives as we collaborate with peers and organizations to maximize the total impact towards a better planet.

UBS commitments

  • Founding Member Net Zero Banking Alliance
  • Carbon Disclosure Project (founding signatory)
  • Global Reporting Initiative reporting framework (user since reporting year 2008)
  • Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosure framework (implementing recommendations since 2017)
  • Global Impact Investing Network (member)
  • Group-wide ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System
  • Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (member)
  • UN Global Compact (signatory) 
  • Thun Group of Banks (founding member and co-chair)

UBS-AM commitments

  • Founding Member Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative
  • Signatory to Principles for Responsible Investment
  • International Corporate Governance Network
  • Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
  • Asian Corporate Governance Association
  • UK Investor Forum
  • UK Governance Forum
  • Sustainability Accounting Standards Board member
  • Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmarks
  • Swiss Sustainable Finance member (since 2015)
  • Climate Action 100+
  • IFC Operating Principles for Impact Management
  • One Planet Investment Initiative

Sustainability at UBS

Sustainable and impact at UBS

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UBS Philanthropy

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Explore the other pages

Our climate ambition

Stewardship

Our Sustainable Investing platform

Data science

ESG integration

Sustainable investing strategies aim to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into investment process and portfolio construction. Strategies across geographies and styles approach ESG analysis and incorporate the findings in a variety of ways. The returns on portfolios consisting primarily of sustainable investments may be lower or higher than portfolios where ESG factors, exclusions, or other sustainability issues are not considered, and the investment opportunities available to such portfolios may also differ.

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