Can responsible investment really help cut carbon emissions?

Submitted by Rica Zara on October 21, 2021 - 9:36am

Your investment can make a difference

Did you know that investing in businesses working in sustainable development has an impact beyond the balance sheet? Responsible investment (RI) combines Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors that help:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Foster economic and social inclusion
Encourage gender equality on boards of directors

ESG icons: An easy way to see what an RI solution covers

With RI, your savings help drive change. As a cooperative financial institution, we're as motivated as you are to invest in a way that gets real results and we're committed to reporting with transparency.

Our ESG icons show you at a glance which investments impact what factors.

RI funds have an impact

The Desjardins SocieTerra Cleantech Fund has invested in businesses¹ that have saved 700 tonnes of CO₂emissions^2,3.

The Desjardins SocieTerra Positive Change Fund has invested in businesses¹ that have helped keep 4,799 people from contracting diseases^2,4.

The Desjardins SocieTerra Diversity Fund has invested in businesses¹ that have female representation on executive committees 67% higher than comparable companies⁵.

See even more positive impacts

How do you know you're investing in responsible businesses?

Desjardins has been first⁶ in RI for over 30 years, so we've developed strong expertise in creating responsible funds, aiming for high performance, that have positive impacts using these 2 strategies:

1. Active ownership

As a shareholder in the companies held in all our RI funds, we make the most of our voting rights and influence to help them improve their ESG practices.

We met with 226 businesses in 2020.

2. Selecting the right companies

Our thematic impact RI funds invest in businesses that are both financially promising AND actively working on tangible solutions to address ESG issues.

» See who they are

Learn about the positive impacts our RI funds are having

You can also consult the RI newsletter archive to learn more at any time.

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