Pensioenfonds PGB
Working together on investment policies that take nature into account.
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The financial sector plays a crucial role in the conservation and restoration of nature and biodiversity. Investments by banks, insurers, and pension funds have a direct impact on nature worldwide. Approximately half of the global economy, worth $44 trillion, is heavily dependent on nature and the clean water, oxygen, and stable climate it provides.
Yet many financial flows, through investments in companies or other initiatives, unintentionally contribute to nature loss. Think of ecological damage caused by deforestation or water scarcity, which in turn entail social and economic risks. There is therefore a great need to make nature part of investment policy.
Investments that takes nature into account
Pensioenfonds PGB and WWF-NL have entered into a three-year partnership, starting in January 2025, to integrate nature and biodiversity into the pension fund’s investment policy. This partnership is an important step toward creating an investment portfolio that contributes to a nature-positive society and a financial sector that takes nature and biodiversity seriously into account.
The partnership ties in with one of the focus themes in Pensioenfonds PGB’s sustainability policy, which is biodiversity.
Through this collaboration, both parties also want to inspire and encourage other financial institutions to take similar steps towards nature-positive investments.
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Risks and Impact
“Specific knowledge is essential to effectively integrate this subject into our investment policy. In WWF-NL, we have found a partner that brings expertise, experience, and independent insights to our focus theme of biodiversity. This enables us to gain a better understanding of the investment risks and the impact of our investments on nature and biodiversity. I am very pleased with this collaboration and look forward to further developing this partnership.”
- Anne Kock, board member of Pensioenfonds PGB
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© Mark Bridger / ShutterstockWhat we do together
WWF-NL and Pensioenfonds PGB are working together to strengthen a nature-inclusive financial sector. The collaboration focuses on four components:
Integrating biodiversity
WWF-NL and Pensioenfonds PGB are working together to identify and integrate risks associated with biodiversity loss within the fund’s investment portfolio. This includes mapping companies' dependence on natural resources and the impact of their activities on ecosystems. Together, WWF-NL and Pensioenfonds PGB are developing strategies and guidelines to steer investments toward projects and companies that contribute to nature conservation and restoration. WWF-NL is sharing its expertise and offering practical tools and frameworks, such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), which is intended to promote transparency and accountability.
Raising awareness in the financial sector
Pensioenfonds PGB and WWF-NL are collaborating to raise awareness in the pension and broader financial sectors about the importance of biodiversity and nature in investment policy. The aim is to show how integrating nature risks and opportunities helps companies and sectors to manage risks, increase their resilience, and continue to operate in a future-proof manner.
Engagement with participating companies
In collaboration with WWF-NL, Pensioenfonds PGB is actively engaging with companies and sectors in which it invests to encourage them to structurally incorporate biodiversity into their policies and business operations. Companies are encouraged to set concrete biodiversity targets and report on them transparently.
Building support and engagement among individual participants
In collaboration with WWF-NL, Pensioenfonds PGB is also engaging with employees and pension fund participants to raise awareness of the impact of pension investments on nature and biodiversity. The pension fund also seeks to inform participants about its commitment to supporting the restoration of nature and biodiversity. Such restoration is a critical foundation for safeguarding both the financial and societal security of pensions over the long term.
What WWF is working towards with partners
WWF-NL is committed to a financial sector in which investment decisions systematically take nature and climate impact into account. In its collaboration with Pensioenfonds PGB, partners aim to demonstrate to other pension funds and financial institutions the value of integrating biodiversity into investment strategies, and the benefits this brings. This approach not only helps to curb nature loss, but also enhances the resilience and long-term sustainability of the economy. Together, we are working towards a future in which financial flows actively support a healthy planet for current and future generations.
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Promising collaboration
“The Dutch pension sector has the opportunity to generate a positive impact on nature and reduce adverse effects through targeted investments. We are therefore pleased to enter into this promising collaboration with Pensioenfonds PGB.”
– Jelle de Jong, CEO WWF-NL
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WWF Partnerships
WWF-NL is happy to work with companies that share our vision of a sustainable future. Because business plays a crucial role in achieving a nature-positive economy.