Today the Dutch Fair Insurance Guide published its fourth annual policy update. The report measures the sustainability policies of ten Dutch insurers against nine themes in the areas of business management and investments.
This year, for the first time, insurers have been rated on the policies of the holding company, instead of their Dutch organization. As a result, Aegon was rated lower than last year.
For Dutch customers, in reality nothing has changed; investments through Aegon are becoming increasingly sustainable. For example, in 2016 Aegon Netherlands invested 137 million euros in wind farms, as well as investments in microfinance funds, green mortgages and social housing.
Environmental, Social & Governance Guidelines
Across Aegon globally, business units assess the most suitable investments for their clients locally. All of these investments comply with Aegon's Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. For Dutch customers, this is in accordance with Aegon's local Dutch criteria, which was rated as 'Good' by the Fair Insurance Guide last year.
Marc van Weede, Head of Sustainability and Strategy, commented on the outcome of the report, saying: "We take responsible investment seriously, and are continuously improving our policies and approach to responsible investment. Changes are driven by our clients requirements. Feedback from broader society, including reports from the Fair Insurance Guide are also taken fully into consideration as they highlight clear opportunities for us as a company."
