Responsible investmentOur approach

• As a long-term investor in a wide range of companies, sectors and countries, we take our responsibilities as both an asset owner and steward of our client assets seriously.
• Being a responsible company means that we integrate sustainability and responsible business principles into our core business and engage with our employees to make this an integrated effort.
• We have also aligned our approach to responsible business with our core purpose by focusing on the intersection of the key areas of financial security and well-being.

Our Responsible Investment Framework is structured as follows:

• ESG integration: At Aegon, we integrate ESG factors in the bottom-up fundamental research process for most investment strategies.
• Engagement & voting: Addressing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues by actively engaging with issuers and investee companies and exercising shareholder rights.
• Exclusion: When companies are involved in certain controversial activities, we may refrain from investment in those companies with our proprietary assets. We also consider excluding companies when our efforts to change company behavior do not make sufficient progress, or companies with activities that are at odds with our company position (see Our position below)
• Reporting: The Aegon Integrated Annual Report provides in-depth information on the financial and nonfinancial performance of Aegon. Aegon Asset Management provides further detail on its Responsible investment activities through additional corporate and client reporting.

Our position

Aegon recognizes several recurring topics that prompt questions from clients, employees and other stakeholders and where we feel it is important to take a company position: climate change, biodiversity, human rights, labor rights, good health & well-being, corporate governance, weapons & arms trade, financial institutions, and animal welfare. Details on our positions can be found in our Responsible Investment Policy.

Responsible Investment Policy

Aegon's Responsible Investment Policy spells out the basis on which Aegon's proprietary assets should be managed consistently. That means aligning with our responsible business objectives and relevant laws and governance standards. The policy is applicable to operations in all countries where we are active. The policy also contains the Exclusion list.

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)

Aegon Asset Management (AAM) is a signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment, which are supported by the United Nations. These principles set out guidelines for how investors should take into account social, environmental and governance factors when making their investment decisions. When companies do not meet the standards outlined in our Responsible Investment Policy, we engage with them. For example, we were part of the PRI collaborative engagement on human rights and the extractive industry. Read more about AAM's approach to responsible investment in their Responsible Investment report.

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