When I joined Storebrand Asset Management in 1999, we were an early mover on sustainable investment. We established the first sustainability team in 1995 and became a founding signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment in 2006. In 2020, we co-created the Investor Policy Dialogue on Deforestation involving 90 investors with more than USD 10 trillion in assets under management. Last year, we represented Finance for Biodiversity in the negotiations at CBD COP 15 in Montreal.
We have been at the vanguard of a movement that is now redefining the practice of investing. Sustainable investments used to be a space for NGOs and investors like us with strong commitments and long-term perspectives, but we have experienced a growing commitment to sustainable investments over the past years despite some setbacks.
We are committed to helping our clients achieve strong risk-adjusted returns and we believe integration of sustainability data and perspectives will help us do so. Through this, as a responsible shareholder and investor, we will also contribute to a better world and a more sustainable future. More than ever, we are determined to play our role in transition: decarbonising the economy, protecting biodiversity and supporting inclusive growth. These strong convictions permeate our strategic plan for the coming years and will allow us to pursue our objective of generating long-term sustainable investment returns for our clients.
Commitments must equate to action. The effects and continued support of our work may be limited if we cannot track progress. Our clients deserve transparency and clarity about how their capital is invested and what we achieve. For this reason, we have developed this Progress report on nature and climate to document our progress against our commitments. And while we are proud of the progress we have made in delivering more sustainable investment, we are aware that there is still a long way to go.
