Sustainability & Active Ownership

Initiatives and Frameworks

International guidelines and frameworks

UN Global Compact

The United Nations’ 10 principles on corporate sustainability are linked to international conventions on human rights, labour law, the environment and anti-corruption. Första AP-fonden expects all companies to live up to these principles. https://www.unglobalcompact.org/

The UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP)

The UN has specified what responsibility for human rights entails for business operations in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP). The Fund expects all companies to manage its operations in accordance with these principles.

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

The OECD has adopted guidelines and recommendations for multinational enterprises with regard to responsible business.

The OECD has also specified how institutional investors can implement the OECD guidelines in its management, in Responsible Business Conduct for Institutional Investors (RBC).

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

The United Nations’ 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to eradicate extreme poverty, reduce inequality and injustice, promote peace and justice, and solve the climate crisis by 2030.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelop
ment/sustainable-development-goals/

Första AP-fonden  promotes the SDGs both as an active owner through dialogue with companies, and through specific investments.

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

The TCFD publishes recommendations to companies and investors regarding how their climate-related financial risks should be reported. The recommendations aim to provide investors and decision-makers with relevant information for assessing the climate risks and prospects of companies and markets.

Första AP-fonden fully supports this initiative and encourages companies to report in line with the recommendations. www.fsb-tcfd.org. The Fund itself also reports according to the TCFD recommendations.

Montreal Pledge

Under the Montreal Pledge Första AP-fonden, together with many other investors, undertakes to measure and report its portfolio’s carbon footprint annually. http://montrealpledge.org/

Tobacco-free finance pledge

In 2019, Första AP-fonden signed the Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge, whereby we no longer invest in companies that operate in the tobacco industry.

Collaborations and initiatives which we support

Council on Ethics of the Swedish National Pension Funds

The Council on Ethics is a collaboration between the First, Second, Third and Fourth AP Funds (AP1–4). Through the Council, AP1 works actively to influence foreign companies towards improved sustainability efforts, primarily in the environmental and social areas.

Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)

The UN-backed network PRI is a global initiative for institutional investors. In the PRI network, more than 2,000 investors collaborate on a number of principles for increased understanding and implementation of responsible, sustainable investments. The principles are a key element of AP1’s work on responsible investment.

https://www.unpri.org/

Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC)

IIGCC is a network for European investors for collaborations on climate issues. Its purpose is to put forward investors’ views and engage companies, authorities and other investors in these issues. http://www.iigcc.org/

Climate Action 100+

Climate Action 100+ is a global collaboration initiative for investors to influence companies to take necessary measures to limit climate change. The initiative primarily focuses on the 100 companies deemed, through their operation or the use of their products, to have the largest carbon footprint globally. http://www.climateaction100.org/

Nature Action 100

Nature Action 100 is a collaborative engagement initiative focused on driving greater corporate ambition and action in addressing nature related risks. The initiative engages companies in key sectors that are deemed to be systemically important in reversing nature and biodiversity loss by 2030. The initiative was launched in 2023 and is coordinated by the IIGCC. https://www.natureaction100.org/

 

Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB)

GRESB is a global, industry-driven organisation that collects and compares sustainability information for real estate and infrastructure investments. Första AP-fonden  strives to encourage the real estate companies and funds it invests in to report and develop their work in accordance with GRESB.

PRI Advance

PRI Advance is a collaborative engagement initiative where institutional investors work together to take action on human rights and social issues. Investors use their collective influence with companies and other decision makers to drive positive outcomes for workers, communities and society. The Initiative was set up in 2022 and is coordinated by the PRI. https://www.unpri.org/investment-tools/stewardship/advance

Net Zero Engagement Initiative

Net Zero Engagement Initiative (NZEI) is a collaborative engagement initiative building on the Climate Action 100+ addressing companies that are heavy users of fossil fuels with the central ask to adopt net zero transition plans. The initiative was set up in 2023 and is coordinated by the IIGCC. https://www.iigcc.org/net-zero-engagement-initiative

Sweden Sustainable Investment Forum (SWESIF)

SWESIF is an independent networking forum for organisations that work for or with sustainable investments in Sweden. Its aim is to raise awareness and interest in sustainable investments among institutional asset owners and managers. http://www.swesif.org/

International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN)

A global cooperation to raise standards in active ownership, relating for instance to rights for shareholders to vote at general meetings. The ICGN members are from around 50 countries and manage total assets in excess of USD 50 trillion. https://www.icgn.org/

Institutional Owners Association

A national collaboration between state pension funds, funds linked to insurance companies and banks, and other long-term investors. The Association aims to promote best practice in active ownership, and is one of the principals for the Association for Generally Accepted Principles in the Securities Market. www.godsedpavpmarknaden.se.

Transition Pathway Initiative (TPI)

TPI is a global initiative backed by investors, including Första AP-fonden, which aims to gather information on and assess companies’ preparedness for the transition to a low carbon economy. https://www.transitionpathwayinitiative.org/

Investor Initiative on Hazardous Chemicals

The Investor Initiative on Hazardous Chemicals is a collaborative engagement initiative aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of hazardous chemicals. Through the initiative investors engage with the world’s largest publicly traded chemical companies. The initiative is coordinated by ChemSec.  https://chemsec.org/knowledge/iihc/

Investors Integrity Forum

To strengthen the investors’ role in influencing companies to fight corruption, AP1, together with Transparency International Sweden and five Swedish investors, has formed the Investors Integrity Forum (IIF). It is a platform where owners can jointly pursue important issues related to corruption risks, acquire and disseminate knowledge, and promote transparency, integrity, and accountability, thus creating better conditions for sustainable and profitable investments.