Ursula Nötzli Breinlinger: The topic of sustainability is very much in vogue. What should investors understand by the term "sustainable investing"?
Béatrice Fischer: The aim of sustainable investing is to combine financial returns with positive repercussions for the environment and society. The investor strives to build up a comprehensive view that also includes non-financial factors. In investment decisions, the investor also takes into account sustainability aspects, i.e. social factors, the corporate governance of the companies in question, and environmental aspects – also known as the ESG criteria: Environmental, Social, Governance.
How popular is sustainable investing in Switzerland?
Viewed in global terms, around 30 percent of professionally managed assets are now managed on a sustainable basis, and the rising trend is very pronounced. In Switzerland the market volume of such assets is still relatively low and currently amounts to around 192 billion Swiss francs. However, the growth rate is remarkable.
How is Credit Suisse positioned in this market?
We have been active in the area of sustainable investing for around 15 years. Credit Suisse now has a market share of just under 12 percent in Switzerland, which makes us the second biggest player in this market.