Varma prepares to exclude intermediaries that fund fossil-based energy – the goal is to push the transition to climate-sustainable forms of energy forward
![](/data/images/00376/5d68bdbd-0641-4c03-9aac-3242e5820209-w_720.jpg)
Brokers are international banks that manage purchases and sales related to Varma’s investments, for instance stock trading, based on orders.
“Criticism has come out of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt that countries around the world are still pumping more money into fossil energy than combating the climate crisis. By curbing the financing of coal power, we aim to increase the attractiveness of climate-friendly forms of energy, such as wind and solar power, compared to fossil-based energy,” says Varma’s Sustainability Director, Hanna Kaskela.
Varma’s intention is that, as a result of this engagement, banks will be more reluctant to grant loans to coal-reliant companies or help them strengthen their financing with new bonds.
“This new means of engagement is aligned with our Sustainability Programme, and with our climate targets, which were updated in June. We have outlined that in addition to our own climate targets, we will start demanding more ambitious climate actions from our co-operation partners. We are also developing our value chain, meaning we will require sustainability from the partners we buy services from,” says Kaskela.
Fossil-fuel backers will be blacklisted
Financing will be monitored using an analysis that shows how much a bank receives in commissions for financing fossil-based fuel production and how that share compares to the financing given to other companies.
“There is data available in the market that enables us to track the commissions that banks acting as brokers receive from, for instance, financing coal-based business. Companies that significantly fund fossil-fuel production will be placed on an observation list. Varma’s portfolio manager is responsible for informing our intermediaries about our climate policy, and if a blacklisted company does not change its ways, we will no longer trade with that party,” stresses Vesa Syrjäläinen, Development Manager, Responsible Investment.
Varma’s main goal is to try to engage with intermediaries to promote climate actions. Possible negative screening is carried out in compliance with Varma’s principles for responsible investment, which also apply to investee companies. In terms of negative screening, the requirements set for investments were tightened in June, and Varma does not make new investments in companies with coal-based operations accounting for more than 10% of their revenue.
“Our goal is to make it more difficult to obtain financing for coal-based power. If other investors were to do the same on a grand scale, banks would be under pressure to change their ways. If financing for fossil-based energy generation becomes more difficult, costs will increase and opening new facilities will becomes less profitable,” states Syrjäläinen.
Long-term development of Varma’s own climate efforts
Varma renewed its climate policy in June. Varma’s goal is to reduce the investment portfolio’s absolute emissions by 25 per cent by 2025 and 50 per cent by 2030 compared to the level at the end of 2021.
The longer-term climate target is to achieve a carbon-neutral investment portfolio by 2035.
In October, Varma committed to align the emission targets concerning its own operations with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which has become a forerunner in science-based, private-sector climate work.
Keywords
Contacts
Hanna KaskelaVastuullisuusjohtaja
Vastuullinen sijoittaminen ja vastuullisuus
Marjut TervolaViestintäpäällikkö
Varman tulos, sijoitukset ja kiinteistöt
Images
About Varma
Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Company is a responsible and solvent investor of pension funds. The company is responsible for the statutory earnings-related pension cover of 945,000 people in the private sector. Premiums written totalled EUR 5.6 billion in 2021 and pension payments stood at EUR 6.2 billion. Varma’s investment portfolio amounted to EUR 56.4 billion at the end of September 2022.
Subscribe to releases from Varma
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Varma by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Varma
Varma rakennuttaa Pasilaan Suomen korkeimman toimistotalon – 32-kerroksinen toimitila käynnistää Keski-Pasilan tornialueen kehityksen30.8.2024 12:00:38 EEST | Tiedote
Varma rakennuttaa Helsingin Pasilaan uuden tornitalon, joka valmistuessaan tulee olemaan Suomen korkein toimistorakennus. Keski-Pasilaan kauppakeskus Triplan läheisyyteen nouseva tornitalo The Node vahvistaa Pasilan vetovoimaa urbaanina asuin- ja toimistoalueena.
Varmas avkastningar i början av året kan tillskrivas de noterade aktiernas starka utveckling – placeringarna avkastade 5,9 procent16.8.2024 09:01:42 EEST | Tiedote
Varmas placeringsavkastning på 5,9 procent för perioden januari–juni berodde på aktiemarknadens gynnsamma utveckling som fortsatte under årets första hälft. Den globala ekonomiska utvecklingen, som stötts av den amerikanska ekonomin fortsatte att vara stark, men under sommaren har utsikterna blivit mer osäkra. Varma placerade 1,5 miljarder euro i en amerikansk klimatfond.
Varman alkuvuoden tuotot nojasivat listattujen osakkeiden vahvaan kehitykseen – sijoitukset tuottivat 5,9 prosenttia16.8.2024 09:01:42 EEST | Tiedote
Varman tammi–kesäkuun 5,9 prosentin sijoitustuotto perustui osakemarkkinoiden suotuisaan kehitykseen, joka jatkui koko alkuvuoden. Globaalia talouskehitystä kannatellut Yhdysvaltojen talous jatkoi vahvana, mutta kesän aikana näkymät ovat muuttuneet epävarmemmiksi. Varma sijoitti 1,5 miljardia euroa yhdysvaltalaiseen ilmastorahastoon.
Varma’s half-year returns driven by the strong performance of listed equities – investments yielded 5.9 per cent16.8.2024 09:01:42 EEST | Press release
Varma’s 5.9 per cent return on investments relied on the equity markets’ favourable development, which continued in the first six months of the year. The US economy, which has bolstered global economic development, remained strong, but as summer progressed, the outlook became more uncertain. Varma invested EUR 1.5 billion in a US climate fund.
Muistutuskutsu medialle: Varman puolivuositulos ja Suomen talouden tila – uhkaako Suomea luottoluokituksen lasku?14.8.2024 10:39:50 EEST | Kutsu
Varma julkistaa puolivuosituloksen perjantaina 16.8.2024 klo 9. Samalla järjestämme tiedotustilaisuuden median edustajille.
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom