Transparency, a key issue for listed impact investment
A pioneer in listed impact investing, La Financière de l’Echiquier (LFDE) is today publishing the annual impact reports for its four impact funds, as well as the second report on its Climate & Biodiversity corporate strategy.
The publication of these reports reflects the paramount importance that LFDE attaches to transparency. In an increasingly complex regulatory environment – SFDR, MiFID 2 revision, CSRD, European taxonomy – the need for greater transparency and for investment decisions to be taken under the prism of dual materiality is imperative.
The impact reports of the four funds classified under Article 9 of the SFDR regulations, audited by Better Way, an independent consultancy firm, are freely available on lfde.com :
- The first Echiquier Health Impact For All report, dedicated to access to health.
- The first impact report from Echiquier Impact & Solidaire, a solidarity fund designed to finance socially and environmentally useful projects.
- The second impact report of Echiquier Climate & Biodiversity Impact Europe, a strategy dedicated to the ecological transition and the protection of biodiversity, through which LFDE contributes to the endowment fund of the Museum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN). A patron of the MNHN since 2021, LFDE also supports the “Eco-bétons de sédiments marins” research project led by the BOREA laboratory and dedicated to the creation of artificial reefs that help to promote marine biodiversity. LFDE is also a sponsor of the MNHN’s new podcast series, Océan, launched on 25 May 2023.
- The fifth impact report from Echiquier Positive Impact Europe, the first fund backed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals launched in 2017.
These publications report on the impact generated by portfolio companies. They present all the resources deployed to contribute to the impact of strategies, drawing on best practice in the marketplace.
The report on LFDE’s Climate & Biodiversity strategy outlines the actions taken in 2022 for each of the strategy’s 9 commitments. The aim of this strategy is to integrate climate and biodiversity issues into all the company’s business lines and decision-making processes, particularly investments. This second report also meets the requirements of article 29 of the French Climate and Energy Law, as well as the recommendations made by the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
Bettina Ducat, Managing Director of LFDE, said:
“Transparency for our clients is essential. These 5 major publications are benchmarks for the Paris financial centre. They reflect our high standards and ambition in the field of listed impact investment, a priority area for the asset management industry, and for La Financière de l’Echiquier since 2017.”
Olivier de Berranger, Deputy Managing Director and CEO, added:
“As pioneers of listed impact investing, we extended our quest for impact in 2022 with the launch of Echiquier Health Impact For All, the first social impact fund in our range. We intend to intensify our commitment to impact, while seeking first-class financial performance for the capital entrusted to us by our clients.”
Coline Pavot, Head of Responsible Investment Research, comments:
“In an ever-changing regulatory environment, the publication of these reports is inspired by best practice in the marketplace, particularly as a result of the work of the FIR, France Invest and the Institut de la Finance Durable. Our aim is to offer our customers an exemplary approach that is subject to continuous improvement.