Sustainable investing enables retail and professional investors to select their investments based on their individual values and priorities without sacrificing financial returns.
Investing while taking ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) data into consideration is not only about the moral and ethical considerations but also about investing in progress. It means recognizing that companies trying to solve the challenges the world is facing are often also the companies that are best positioned to grow.
SIX facilitates investments in a wide range of sustainable products including ETFs, Green Bonds, as well as Structured Products and Indices.
ETFs
Are you looking for a simple way to invest in sustainable markets? With passive ETFs listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange you are certainly on the right track.
Sustainable Bonds
To help strengthening sustainable investing and to facilitate investors' search for sustainable bonds, SIX has introduced a "green bond flag", a “social bond flag”, a "sustainability bond flag" and a “sustainability-linked bond flag” on the SIX Swiss Exchange website.
Structured Products
Many issuers of structured products offer certificates based on sustainable criteria. You will find a non-exhaustive list under the following link.
Indices
SIX provides sustainable indices for several asset classes which are often used as underlyings for index-based products and thus enables sustainable investments.
Supporting a Sustainable Financial Market
The Swiss Stock Exchange has been a trading venue for green bonds since 2014 when the European Investment Bank listed the first green bond. In 2018, SIX in cooperation with Climate Bond Initiative (CBI) has introduced a green bond flag on the website of the Swiss Stock Exchange in order to help strengthen sustainable investing, increase visibility and facilitate investors' search for Green Bonds.
According to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), in January 2021 some 281 Swiss enterprises (listed and unlisted) already voluntarily report ESG data and reports (link) outside of the requirements of SIX.
In 2021 SIX launched the first broad ESG equity and ESG fixed income indices. Today, SIX offers around 20 ESG equity indices. In the fixed income space clients can select out of a wide range of ESG indices as well. Also in 2021, SIX introduced the SPI Gender Equality Index. This index measures the development of Swiss companies regarding the number of women in their top-management.
SIX has taken a majority stake via growth investment in Orenda Software Solutions a Canadian-based AI platform specializing in ESG and alternative data sets. This step is part of the strategy of SIX to help its customers drive more insights with data, providing consumption-ready data and analytics.
Enabling a Sustainable Future
In accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, SIX publishes annually a corporate responsibility report as well as a code of conduct that anchors the sustainability principles in the organisation.
The World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) publish an annual sustainability Survey that captures the nature and extent of WFE member engagement with Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) issues in both developed and emerging markets. As a member of WEF, SIX provides date which is used for the survey itself.
SIX is a member of Swiss Sustainable Finance which aims to inform on best practice and creating supportive frameworks and tools to supports its members.