Tackling climate change starts from within
We believe that the global mission to end climate change starts at home. And for us that means looking at our own business practices.
Impact philanthropy
AXA IM’s impact philanthropy focuses on projects with a tangible societal impact across education, health and climate change/biodiversity. We have grown our charitable footprint to include non-governmental organisations that specifically align with the Paris objectives.
In 2020 we started to use a portion of the fees we levy on our impact funds – which seek to deliver on specific UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – to support charities working towards the same SDGs.
Our climate change/biodiversity related partners include:
- The World Land Trust an international charity that protects the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats.
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux an association that protects threatened birds, coordinates conservation programmes and manages the reintroduction of endangered species.
Reducing our own carbon footprint
We have taken a series of steps in the last year to address our own carbon footprint. This is a long journey, and we are only at the start.
At first, we will cut our own carbon emissions, including in areas such as business travel, premises, supply chain and digital. As we progress, and depending on the speed of reduction, we will consider offsetting emissions.
Some of the biggest contributors to our carbon footprint are the buildings from which we operate. We currently have 19 globally. We are working with suppliers to quantify their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to help inform our reduction, and if necessary, offsetting, strategy.
We are working towards the greatest possible sustainability for our business and workforce. This also enables us to hold investee companies to account from a position of strength. We aim to practice what we preach.
AXA IM’s office space - one of London’s greenest buildings
In London, we have moved to 22 Bishopsgate, one of London’s greenest buildings.
We have sought the greatest possible energy efficiency and blended it with a desire to reduce environmental impact.
The 22 Bishopsgate building was the first in the UK to apply for the WELL Building Standard and has been awarded a BREAAM Excellent sustainability rating. The building’s energy has been procured from 100% renewable sources.
The working space itself has green and human-centred spaces and we have made stringent decisions about the resources we use, recycle and discard – from paper to water.
Over time we will develop a more detailed framework to cover areas such as food sourcing, to significantly improve our aggregate impact on the environment.
We intend to use this template approach for all of our offices. Every time a lease comes up for renewal, we will seek the most sustainable possible solution that enables our business to function at the greatest commercial output.
As we develop and use more detailed metrics, we intend to report more on our own physical footprint.
