Sustainable investing services

How UBS can help you invest for good

Will she always be this happy?

Live a good life on a healthy planet?
Can sustainable investing protect her future?

A better world for future generations is everyone’s responsibility. Sustainable investing can play a big role in this. We’re confident that it will soon become the world's most widely accepted way of investing.1,2

As the world's leading wealth manager3, we feel responsible for helping change things for the better. We have the capital, solutions and expertise to make a big difference globally. Leveraging our sustainable investing and impact investing portfolio, we'll help you align your values and goals.

Let's talk

Together, we can help you invest in doing good.

Sustainable Visual Globe

For the first time, UBS is making sustainable investments its preferred choice for private clients wishing to invest globally. Because sustainable investments aren't just good for the planet and for society – they can be good for investors too. 1, 2

 

How do I get started?

1. Check your portfolio

How sustainable is your portfolio?

Many investors don't realize they have sustainable investments. Ask your advisor if you do, and how you can do more.

2. Choose your values

What do you care about?

You can choose more than one way to make a difference. Do you want to wipe out pollution? Combat climate change? Help educate children? We’ll help you get started.

3. Invest for good

Decide if you want to:

  • Exclude companies with different values than yours
  • Integrate companies that reflect your values
  • Select investments that make an impact you can see

Your benefits

Do well, Do good

Do well, do good

It’s a myth that you give up performance when you invest sustainably.We’ll show you how to get the best of both worlds.

By you, for you

By you, for you

We'll discuss your needs and goals, set everything up and support you every step of the way.

Expertise on hand

Expertise on hand

Our experts have the know-how to help you choose your sustainable investments.

Everything covered

Everything covered

We'll recommend sustainable investments across all assets, including global and local markets. We'll monitor your portfolio so that we can react quickly to risks and capitalize on opportunities.


What do we include in our sustainable investing portfolio?

UBS Sustainable Investing aims at promoting sustainable development by considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) characteristics alongside financial criteria when selecting an investment opportunity. UBS has defined a set of SI approaches with specific ESG attributes. All funds selected and all single security selection portfolios constructed must follow one of these approaches to be included in UBS Sustainable Investing.

For more information on how UBS integrates sustainability risk in their policies and investment decision making and advisory processes please click on the headers below:

The investment strategy is based on the risk-return profile that the client has chosen. ESG factors are key drivers, but not the only drivers of UBS investment decisions. UBS Sustainable Investing portfolios follow an ESG integration approach that combines ESG factors with traditional financial considerations. It involves understanding how investee fund managers and companies handle ESG risks that could entail significant costs or capture opportunities arising from major sustainability-related themes and trends.

UBS Sustainable Investing portfolios are constructed exclusively using SI approaches with ESG attributes defined by UBS CIO.

These SI approaches currently include (and may be expanded in future):

  • Development bank bonds: bonds issued by multilateral development banks (MDBs). MDBs are backed by multiple governments with the aim of financing sustainable economic growth
  • Green bonds: bonds that finance environmental projects. Issuers include corporations, municipalities, and development banks.
  • ESG engagement equities: an approach where fund managers take active equity stakes in order to engage company management to improve their performance on ESG issues and opportunities
  • ESG engagement high-yield bonds: an approach where fund managers take active bond positions in issuers with credit ratings below BBB- in order to engage company management to improve their performance on ESG issues and opportunities
  • ESG thematic equities: equity shares in companies that sell products and services that tackle a particular environmental or social challenge, and/or whose businesses are particularly good at managing a single ESG factor, such as gender equality
  • Improving ESG equities: equity shares in companies that are getting better at managing a range of critical ESG issues and opportunities
  • ESG leaders equities: equity shares in companies that manage a range of critical ESG issues and seize ESG opportunities better than their competitors
  • ESG leaders bonds: bonds issued by companies that manage a range of critical ESG issues and seize opportunities better than their competitors

Depending on the investment strategies used to optimize overall portfolio risk and return, the portfolio will contain differing exposures whose sustainable investments and ESG characteristics varies. The allocation percentage depends on a client’s risk profile. The allocations are implemented primarily via investment funds. When UBS invests via directly held securities UBS is focusing on an ESG Leaders approach, evaluating issuers on six sustainability topics (climate change, water, pollution & waste, products & services, people, governance).

As a funds distributer, when selecting investment strategies for SI-specific portfolios, UBS has a research process that regularly assesses funds across several research dimensions, for example people, process, philosophy, performance, risk and pricing. For a fund to be put on the shelf, it needs to be strong across several dimensions on an ongoing basis. In the people category UBS looks at the governance of a fund management company, including experience, quality of investment manager, and the firm’s incentive structures. A breach in any dimension, may impact the future expectation for the fund. This leads to a heightened monitoring or removal.

When selecting direct investments for client portfolios, UBS looks for companies that are fair and transparent on issues such as executive pay, board independence, tax and anti-corruption, and governments that promote strong institutions and rule of law and commit to international treaties on environmental and social issues.

Sustainability risks are financial risks that are defined as environmental, social or governance events or conditions that, if they occur, could cause an actual or a potential material negative impact on the value of the investment.

UBS integrates sustainability risk into its investment decision making, investment advice and insurance advice processes. The integration of sustainability risk in the investment process is implemented in line with UBS`s policies governing the creation of investment research views, portfolio construction and product selection.

The integration of sustainability risk in investment decision making and advisory processes is included in UBS`s policies governing these processes. The policies, amongst other things, include guidelines that analysts need to observe when forming their independent views.

When assessing securities of single issuers (equity and debt) or investment funds, sustainability risks, among other financial risks, are considered when conducting the financial analysis of issuers and fund due diligence:

  • The evaluation of sustainability risks and their materiality is one of the numerous factors determining whether or not securities of single issuers are recommended and, therefore, in how far such instruments should be selected in investment management mandates and in investment advice. Sustainability risk is explicitly referred to in the Principles and methodology of research in Global Wealth Management CIO Investment Office. The document can be viewed here(PDF, 305 KB).
  • Fund due diligence focuses on strategy, and how a fund manager captures risks and opportunities (including ESG risks and opportunities) in their investment process. It is not an assessment of the individual holdings within a portfolio. As part of standard fund due diligence, UBS Wealth Management CIO evaluates an ESG rating for each fund. While sustainability and other risk topics should be considered by every manager, it is likely that funds with higher ESG intentionality ratings carry less sustainability risk given that more focus and resources are placed on research, investment decisions and/or active shareholder engagement. A fund manager`s lack of integration of sustainability risks in its investment decision making process will typically result in a lower ESG rating.

During investment research and due diligence, UBS aims to identify financial risks (including sustainability risks) with a view to managing overall portfolio risk.

UBS’s approach to compensation globally is underpinned by the Total Reward Principles, which establish a framework with a focus on conduct and sound risk management practices. Employees are assessed and rewarded for their achievement against a range of financial and non-financial goals, including risk management. Where applicable, the risk management goal will include a consideration of sustainability risk. Where sustainability risks form part of an employee’s performance objectives, they are taken into account into the qualitative performance assessment, which, in turn, is one of the factors that determines an employee’s total remuneration.

Our sustainable investing portfolio mirrors our award-winning portfolio approach.4

The difference is that it replaces conventional assets with sustainable ones.You can relax knowing that we’re managing your portfolio and helping you get the most from your investments.

Please click on the different assets in the graph to get more information.

Learn why ESG factors matter for financial performance, why it accelerated as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and why we expect this trend to continue going forwards.

Learn how you can incorporate sustainability into your investments.

Is your portfolio creating the impact you want?

What other ways can I invest sustainably?

To best reflect your values and increase your impact, we offer many sustainable investing choices and opportunities.

Our advised service portfolio lets you choose from sustainable investments, such as green bonds and environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds. You can also choose from our impact investing options, which clearly measure how well organisations deliver on their promises.


We help you make a difference

Changing the world is about more than investing sustainably. It's about giving your time and energy to solving issues you're passionate about. UBS Optimus Foundation helps you put smiles on the faces of children worldwide by supporting global projects that focus on young people. Our philanthropy experts can advise you on how to put your wealth to work in the best possible way.

Make Difference

Sustainable investing insights

Take a closer look at the world of sustainable investments – and discover the difference it could make for you.

Why UBS is your right partner?

We want to shape the future of sustainable investing. We are also confident that sustainable investing will soon become the world's most widely accepted way of investing.1, 2

Furthermore, as the world's leading wealth manager,3 we feel responsible for helping change things for the better. We have the capital, solutions and expertise to make a big difference globally.

These aren’t just words. We walk the talk. In 2017, we pledge to support our clients in investing USD 5 billion into impact investments over the next five years to help plug funding gaps needed to reach the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). And you’ll always have a team of sustainable investing experts helping you do more for your finances and the world.

We drive change

We drive change

How UBS is making a difference in the world.

We support global visionaries

We support global visionaries

Insights from thought leaders whose work is shaping our future.

Environmental Finance

Everyone wins

Wealth Manager of the Year in the Environmental Finance IMPACT Awards 2020.

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Answering your questions

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The price and value of investments and income derived from them can go down as well as up. You may not get back the amount originally invested.

UBS does not provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your independent tax/legal advisor for specific advice before entering into or refraining from entering into any services or investments.