The annual general meetings of the Ethos Foundation and Ethos Services SA were held this Thursday morning. All the items on the agenda were approved by the members of the foundation and the shareholders of the company. In the afternoon, an online conference dedicated to climate risks for pension funds brought together more than 130 participants within days of a crucial vote on the revision of the Swiss CO2 act.
The Ethos Foundation is organising on Thursday 10 June a 100% online conference-debate open to all on the risks associated with climate change for investor. The event takes place three days before the Swiss population votes on the Federal Act on the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2 Act). The main means of action and the consequences of the new law for investors will also be a discussion topic.
Ethos Foundation, which specialises in socially responsible investing (SRI), and BCV, Switzerland’s fifth-largest universal bank, have entered into a long-term strategic partnership through which they will offer sustainable investment products. In the first phase, six Ethos funds will be managed by BCV’s Asset Management department.
On 3 November 2020, Ethos is organising a conference on corporate digital responsibility. This event, part of the Digital Days 2020 program, will bring together a panel of experts who will discuss the issues and challenges that concern both companies and responsible investors.
The 2020 general meetings saw the appointments of Laura Sadis and Marc Chesney to the board of Ethos Foundation and of Nicole Beiner to the board of Ethos Services SA. These nominations allow Ethos to strengthen its competences in strategic areas. The shareholders of Ethos Services SA also approved the statutory changes necessary for the B Corp certification obtained on 25 May 2020.
The B Corp label attests to the positive social and environmental impact of Ethos on society. It rewards almost 25 years of commitment to responsible investment and promotion of a stable and sustainable socio-economic environment for the benefit of present and future civil society. With 109 points, Ethos ranks directly among the best professional services companies involved in the B Corp movement.
Launched in December 2004, the Vontobel Fund (CH) – Ethos Equities Swiss Mid & Small Cap invests in small and medium-sized Swiss companies that set high standards in the management of their environmental, social and governance issues. 15 years after its launch, the fund's total assets exceeded CHF 675 million at the end of November 2019.
Building on the success of its first index ESCGI, launched in January 2017, Ethos will be offering a new index allowing investors to favor companies that adhere to best practices in corporate governance and environmental responsibility. In collaboration with SIX, this new index focuses on the 20 largest companies listed on the Swiss stock market.
While the members of the Swiss lower house were approving the counter-proposal to the responsible business initiative, Ethos Foundation organised a conference and debate on Thursday 13th June 2019 in Bern on the topic of "multinational companies and respect for human rights: ethical, economic and political issues". Almost 120 people attended the event.