AXA IM to partner with the Access to Medicine Foundation and develop a philanthropy mechanism on its impact fund range

AXA IM to partner with the Access to Medicine Foundation and develop a philanthropy mechanism on its impact fund range

• €500,000 to be donated to the Access to Medicine Foundation
• 5% of impact funds’ management fees to be donated to charities 

“The current Covid-19 environment highlights even more the need for the financial industry to play a different and more impactful role in our societies. Today, building on AXA Group’s recent response to the crisis and staying true to our convictions regarding active ownership, we are taking an extra step to press for progress in areas that matter. Our partnership with the Access to Medicine Foundation and commitment to donate a portion of our impact funds’ management fees to support projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), not only reflects our purpose but also what we believe to be our mission in making longlasting positive changes worldwide.”, said Gérald Harlin, Executive Chairman of AXA IM.

Partnership with the Access to Medicine Foundation

50%¹ of the world’s population do not have proper access to healthcare and the current level of investments are insufficient to combat infectious diseases. The mission of the Access to Medicine Foundation² is to guide and incentivise pharmaceutical companies to improve access to medicine in low- and middle-income countries.

As part of its impact investment and engagement efforts relating to health, AXA IM is already involved with the Foundation, with Yo Takatsuki, Head of ESG Research and Active Ownership, sitting on the Expert Review Committee of the Access to Medicine Index, one of two research programmes led by the organisation.

Today, AXA IM is strengthening its ties with the Foundation by becoming the first asset manager to sponsor the organisation: a €500,000 donation will be allocated to Access to Medicine activities pertaining to the prevention and response to infectious diseases and pandemics such as current Covid-19.

Working closely with pharmaceutical companies but also key stakeholders in healthcare communities, the effects of the Foundation’s work are systemic, helping to ensure that those who need them have access to essential antibiotics and vaccines.

5% of impact funds’ management fees to be donated to charities

To further deliver a positive impact on society in the long-term, AXA IM is also developing a philanthropic mechanism for its impact fund range. This range of products aims to invest in businesses and projects that are designed to have a direct, measurable and positive impact on society and/or the environment, while simultaneously delivering returns by tapping into key themes of the sustainable economy.

5% of this range’s management fees will be used to fund additional projects aimed at developing solutions with a societal impact. These projects will be focused on the themes which are at the heart of AXA IM’s Corporate Responsibility and Responsible Investment strategies³ , and aligned with selected UN SDGs, such as:

• SDG 1 – No Poverty
• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG 4 – Quality Education
• SDG 5 – Gender Equality
• SDG 13 – Climate Action

The impact fund ranges of AXA IM’s Core and Alternatives (Alts) business units will be involved in this initiative, including AXA IM Alts’ fourth impact investment fund⁴ which aims to address the basic needs of the emerging consumer through healthcare and financial inclusion. Healthcare has been a fundamental pillar of AXA IM’s wider impact investing strategy since 2012. This fourth impact strategy will tackle the inequality of healthcare access and affordability worldwide whilst recognising the interconnectedness of global populations in addressing these issues.

The selection of charities and associated projects will be decided by dedicated internal committees comprised of AXA IM’s responsible investment and corporate responsibility experts, as well as the relevant investment teams from AXA IM Core and AXA IM Alts.

“As a long-term and active asset manager, we see growing appetite from investors for strategies that encompass responsibility and impact. By embedding a charity mechanism into our impact funds, we are meeting our clients’ expectations while having a direct impact on individuals, communities and our society. This is yet another way for us to bring our mission to life: investing together with our clients to build a better tomorrow,” added Gérald Harlin.