Driving Sustainable Finance: Integrating Biodiversity into Global ESG Strategies

GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising global attention on biodiversity conservation has been observed at recent international conferences. COP 16, the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, which concluded on November 2 in Cali, Colombia, underscored the importance of advancing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, aimed at ensuring at least 30 percent of degraded terrestrial, inland water and ecosystems are under effective restoration by 2030. Earlier, from October 8 to 11, the PRI in Person conference in Toronto also highlighted the growing focus on biodiversity within ESG investments.

At the PRI conference, E Fund Management ("E Fund"), the largest mutual fund manager in China, shared research on assessing biodiversity risks in investment portfolios. At the forefront of responsible investment practices, the company has integrated ESG factors into its investment strategies and addressed the challenge of incomplete biodiversity data since establishing its proprietary ESG evaluation system in 2018.

In 2024, E Fund took further steps in responsible investment by becoming the first Chinese mutual fund manager to join the PRI's Spring initiative, a global effort endorsed by more than 200 institutions with the goal of reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. More recently, a collaboration with the Central University of Finance and Economics led to the development of a biodiversity risk analysis methodology for financial institutions, strengthening its approach to biodiversity-conscious investment.

E Fund's commitment to sustainable investing is also reflected in its comprehensive product offerings, such as E Fund ESG Responsibility Investment Equity Fund, E Fund CSI Yangtze River Protection ETF (Code: 517330), and E Fund CSI SEEE Carbon Neutral ETF (Code: 562990). These funds channel capital into sustainable development sectors, supporting China's dual carbon goals. Through these efforts, the company continues to play a crucial role in advancing responsible investment practices while contributing to global biodiversity conservation.

About E Fund

Established in 2001, E Fund Management Co., Ltd. ("E Fund") is a leading comprehensive mutual fund manager in China with over RMB 3.5 trillion (USD 505 billion) under management. It offers investment solutions to onshore and offshore clients, helping clients achieve long-term sustainable investment performances. E Fund's clients include both individuals and institutions, ranging from central banks, sovereign wealth funds, social security funds, pension funds, insurance and reinsurance companies, to corporates and banks. Long-term oriented, it has been focusing on the investment management business since inception and believes in the power of in-depth research and time in investing. It is a pioneer and leading practitioner in responsible investments in China and is widely recognized as one of the most trusted and outstanding Chinese asset managers.

Source: E Fund. AuM includes subsidiaries. Data as of Sep 30, 2024. FX rate is sourced from PBoC.