As an asset owner and manager
Swiss Life is an asset manager for its proprietary insurance companies and for third-party clients such as pension funds, other insurance companies and private investors. The long-term protection of customer funds and the optimal allocation of risk capital are the main objectives. Invested assets must be secure, profitable and liquid in their entirety.
Due to the long-term nature of its insurance liabilities, Swiss Life invests predominantly in fixed-income securities such as government and corporate bonds as well as real estate, equities and infrastructure. Swiss Life systematically integrates ESG aspects into the investment process and risk management for all asset classes. This results in a broader information base and more balanced risk cover.
Swiss Life’s responsible investment approach encompasses all three dimensions of the ESG spectrum. In the context of Swiss Life’s climate-related disclosure, a special focus is placed on climate and therefore environmental considerations. Analysing and understanding climate-related metrics are considered essential for Swiss Life to assess and adequately manage climate-related risks and opportunities within the investment portfolio.
Swiss Life regularly sources climate-related metrics from the independent providers MSCI ESG Research LLC, Germanwatch and the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), comprising of both backward- and forward-looking metrics based on scenario analysis. In order to more easily assess its understanding of climate-related risks, Swiss Life has been participating in the Paris Agreement Capital Transition Assessment (PACTA) since 2017. This has been organised by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the 2° Investing Initiative. Swiss Life is gradually continuing the integration of the climate scenario metrics and the further application of various transition scenarios. The disclosed figures on greenhouse gas emissions correspond to the internationally recognised standards of the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.