Commitments, ratings & recognition

Aegon signed the Paris Pledge for Action in 2015, committing us to taking action in support of implementing the Paris Agreement and accelerating the transformative changes needed to meet the climate change challenge.

Read more about how we are stepping up action on the climate change challenge

In November 2021, Aegon joined the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance, a UN-convened group of institutional investors committed to transitioning their portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

For us, this means committing to the transition our EUR 156 billion general account investment portfolio to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

We have set clear medium-term targets to  drive our progress: 

• By 2025, Aegon aims to reduce by 25% the weighted average carbon intensity of its approximately EUR 55 billion corporate fixed income and listed equity general account assets where it has control.
• Invest USD 2.5 billion in activities to help mitigate climate change or adapt to the associated impacts by 2025.
• Engage with at least the top 20 carbon emitters in our general account portfolio by 2025.

Aegon will set additional targets at 5-year intervals for the period after 2025 until 2050. To reach the 2025 target, Aegon will adjust its general account portfolio. 

Aegon will regularly engage with those companies in its global investment portfolio that are the most carbon-intensive to drive real-world reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Aegon will regularly update its group-wide responsible investment exclusion criteria to reflect the latest scientific findings on climate change.

For our 2022 disclosure(s), see our 2022 Integrated Annual Report (page 21)

Climate change represents one of the biggest risks to society, the economy, and financial institutions. Mitigating climate change, including the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is a major global challenge. Aegon believes that governments, companies, and investors have a responsibility to mitigate climate change and its impacts and facilitate a transition to a climate-resilient economy. 

Our integrated report follows the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)’s four-pillar framework to facilitate disclosure. Aegon strives to continuously enhance its reporting and business practices and welcomes feedback from stakeholders on the appropriateness and relevance of this disclosure.   

See page 372 of our Integrated Annual Report 

We participate in the annual CDP Climate Change disclosure, where we publish performance data, policies and practices related to the impacts and opportunities related to climate change in the context of our business activities.  

Aegon has made a disclosures to CDP since 2015. The initiative encourages companies to be more open about their greenhouse gas emissions and other climate related impacts.  

• CDP Climate Change 2022 (2021 Reporting Year) 
• CDP Climate Change 2021 (2020 Reporting Year) 
• CDP Climate Change 2020 (2019 Reporting Year) 

(Disclosures prior to the 2019 reporting year are available on the CDP website) 

In November 2022, Aegon became an asset owner signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). This followed Aegon Asset Management's longstanding asset manager signatory status. The PRI sets out guidelines for how investors should take into account environmental, social and governance factors when making their investment decisions. These practices will be incorporated when reviewing our Aegon NV Responsible Investment Policy and maturing our overall Group-wide approach to responsible investment.

• Principle 1: We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.
• Principle 2: We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
• Principle 3: We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
• Principle 4: We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.
• Principle 5: We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.
• Principle 6: We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.

To read more: What are the Principles for Responsible Investment? | PRI Web Page | PRI (unpri.org)

As of 2024, you will be able to read about our progress in our transparency report on this page. Access our PRI signatory profile here.

The Global Impact Investing Network is the global champion of impact investing, dedicated to increasing its scale and effectiveness around the world.

We are a proud GIIN member, making us part of a diverse, global community of over 360 organizations in approximately 50 countries.

UN Global Compact

In 2021, Aegon N.V. became a signatory of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), thereby committing to implement universal sustainability principles in the fields of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption, as well as taking steps to support the UN goals; currently the SDGs. As a signatory, Aegon is committed to disclosing its progress annually. In addition to integrating the measurement of the outcomes under the UNGC Principles into our annual reporting cycle, we have detailed Aegon's policies and procedures to support each Principle and of how we align and implement them.

Access our yearly communication on progress reports on our United Nations Global Compact’s signatory profile: Aegon N.V. | UN Global Compact.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

In 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals cover poverty reduction, education, gender equality, climate change and health. Supporting each of these goals is a series of targets and indicators.

At Aegon, we are committed to supporting the UN SDGs, both as a financial services provider and as an investor. We recognize that sustainable development is in the long-term interest of business and the global economy, but that a sustainable future for people and the planet will not be attainable without cooperation between the public and private sectors. Climate change and inclusion & diversity have been selected as priority themes in our sustainability vision, and as such we seek to contribute towards the following goals:

• Goal 5: Gender equality (target 5.1, 5.5, 5c)
• Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy (targets 7.3)
• Goal 10: Reduced inequalities (target 10.2, 10.3, 10.4)
• Goal 13: Climate action (target 13.2)

Aegon is one of the founding signatories of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative's Principles for Sustainable Insurance. The aim of the PSI is to make sure sustainability becomes 'business as usual'. The PSI comprises four basic principles. Read below about our performance for each of the years from 2015 to 2022.

Access our performance for each of the years from 2015 to 2022

As a proud member of the UN Global Compact, Aegon is committed to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the core standards of the International Labor Organization. This is explicitly incorporated in numerous policies, such as the Aegon Code of Conduct, the Statement on Inclusion & Diversity, the Human Rights Policy and the Aegon Operational Risk Taxonomy. Aegon faces the most potential risks in indirect business relationships, which is why human rights are core to the Responsible Investment and Sustainable Procurement policies.

See our UN Global Compact disclosures to learn more about how we uphold Human Rights across the organization.

Aegon became a founding member of the Global Coalition on Aging in 2010. The Coalition seeks to raise awareness of aging issues among policymakers and the general public.

Aegon signed the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge to highlight its leadership in implementing tobacco-free finance policies and encourage others to follow suit. To implement this commitment, our Responsible Investment policy excludes companies that generate 5% or more of their revenue from tobacco production from its investment universe.

For more information, see the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge