PRESS RELEASE
19th December 2019
New fund listed in United Nations Global Compact report for best practice
MAPFRE opens new disability inclusive fund for pan European sales
New award scheme launched for disability inclusive companies
MAPFRE Group’s asset management arm, MAPFRE AM, together with its French investment boutique partner, La Financière Responsable (LFR), has launched throughout Europe ‘MAPFRE Inclusión Responsible’ - a new fund that invests in companies that promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Until now, both MAPFRE AM and LFR have been marketing the fund exclusively in France, where it has generated considerable interest, particularly with institutional investors, and so a decision has been made to replicate a Luxembourg based sister fund across the rest of Europe. The new fund - thought to be the world's first asset fund of this type - extends MAPFRE’s range of its socially responsible, ESG specific, investment funds, which currently comprise of ‘MAPFRE Capital Responsible' and the ‘MAPFRE Good Governance’ funds.
‘MAPFRE Inclusión Responsible' fund, which has been included in the report of the United Nations Global Compact as an example of best practice, combines the search for financial profitability with the promotion of improvements in society at large. (see link here https://www.pactomundial.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Navigating-the-Future-of-BHR.pdf)
The management team has carried out a historical simulation that shows that over the last five years, the portfolio of companies selected for their record of inclusion was almost four times more profitable than the market as a whole. Furthermore, the index, which is focused on companies classified as ESG Investments, has prevailed over the European general index (Stoxx Europe GR) in the last five years and has done so with less volatility.
‘MAPFRE Inclusión Responsible’ uses a proprietary methodology developed by MAPFRE and LFR. José Luis Jiménez Guajardo-Fajardo, Group Chief Investment Officer at MAPFRE, said, “Our research has identified that companies committed to disability, have proved to be profitable and financially stable. We have therefore concluded that investing in such companies is not only positive for investors but is positive for society as a whole.”
In researching companies for social inclusion relating to disabilities, MAPFRE AM’s methodology uses seven themes with 40 variables, such as ‘Commitment’, (the disability policies applied by companies), ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Integration’, ‘Projects’ (specific initiatives), and ‘Accessibility’ (architectural barriers), among others. As a result of the analysis, which includes continued contact with the companies, four levels of compliance are identified and labelled: ‘emerging’, ‘promising’, ‘committed’ or ‘leading’.
The launch of the new fund coincides with a decision by MAPFRE to reward a company that it finds is the most committed to including people with disabilities in their workforce. In June 2020, using the same investment methodology, a jury will identify the company most committed to inclusion.
Then on 3rd December - to coincide with the International Day of People with Disabilities - the company found to be the most committed to people with disabilities will be awarded the first ‘MAPFRE Inclusión Responsable Recognition Award’.
The promotion of inclusion is a policy that MAPFRE itself actively pursues. The company currently has 902 employees with disabilities working within the Group, representing 2.5 percent of the overall global workforce. For 2021, the company has made a public commitment that individuals with disabilities will represent at least three percent of the global workforce.
The launch of ‘MAPFRE Inclusión Responsible’, its two other ESG specific funds and the award scheme, along with its signing of the Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI) and working with SpainSIF, represent MAPFRE AM's commitment to a sustainable value-creation model, one which aligns its investment policy with MAPFRE’s commitment to responsible social action.
Notes to Editors:
MAPFRE is a global insurer with a presence in the five continents. It is the largest Spanish insurer in the world, the third largest insurance group in Latin America and is in the Top 10 in Europe by volume of premiums. MAPFRE has more than 35,000 employees and in 2018, its revenues were close to 27,000 million euros, with net profit of 529 million euros.
MAPFRE AM is the group's asset management company in Spain. Its investment philosophy combines the creation of long-term value with wealth protection. Its main areas of expertise are in European equities, fixed income and asset allocation.
LFR, which is one of the most recognized asset managers in France in terms of ESG, has a proprietary methodology which analyses individual companies from a socially responsible investment perspective. Its deep analysis of individual companies has been largely adopted by MAPFRE who took a stake in the company in 2017.
Issued By:
Sam Shelton,
Fortuna Asset Management Communications Ltd.,
Tel: +44 (0)7540 336998
EM: sam@fortunaamc.co.uk
For further information at: https://noticias.mapfre.com/
MAPFRE Corporate Communication Department:
Tel: 91 581 91 68 and 91 581 83 66,
email: DBADIAG@mapfre.com; juanfrances@mapfre.com