Ambition on sustainability
At BeFrank, you can choose how sustainably you want to invest. Each investment style has its own sustainability ambition. To achieve our sustainability goals, we use various instruments, such as excluding certain activities. For example, we do not invest in companies that, in our view, behave controversially.
Investment style and sustainability
In the overview, you can see the differences in sustainability ambition between Passive, Active and Sustainable investing. Each investment style applies these instruments in its own way.
Would you like to know how your pension is currently invested? Visit your personal pension page and choose how sustainably you want to invest.
Overview of ambitions and application of instruments by investment style.
| Instruments | Passief beleggen | Actief beleggen | Duurzaam beleggen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusion | + Read here which activities BeFrank excludes. | + Read here which activities BeFrank excludes. | +++ Read here which activities BeFrank excludes. |
| Positive selection | + The goal is for investments to have a higher ESG score than comparable funds and lower CO₂ emissions than the benchmark. | + The goal is for investments to have a higher ESG score than comparable funds and lower CO₂ emissions than the benchmark. | +++ The goal is for all investments to contribute to one or more of 5 themes: food, energy, society, well-being and resources. And to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. |
| ESG integration | No ESG integration | + The goal is for investments to have a higher ESG score than comparable funds and lower CO₂ emissions than the benchmark. | +++ ESG integration is fully part of the investment policy and all decisions. |
| Impact investing | + At least 10% sustainable investments | ++ At least 20% sustainable investments | +++ At least 80% sustainable investments |
| Active ownership | + The asset manager votes at shareholder meetings according to our voting policy and engages with companies. BeFrank also has Sustainalytics engage with companies. Read the reports on active ownership. | + The asset manager votes at shareholder meetings according to our voting policy and engages with companies. BeFrank also has Sustainalytics engage with companies. Read the reports on active ownership. | +++ Our asset manager Triodos votes at shareholder meetings and engages with companies. BeFrank also has Sustainalytics engage with companies. Read the reports on active ownership. |
| Conclusie: sustainability ambition |  Sustainable |  More sustainable |  Most sustainable |
Explanation of terms
- Exclusion
The extent to which we exclude controversial activities and practices. Examples include the tobacco industry, the most polluting forms of fossil energy, and companies involved in human rights violations. - Positive selection
The extent to which we choose to invest more in sustainable companies. - ESG integration
The extent to which we incorporate ESG (environmental, social policy and governance) risks and opportunities into our investment decisions. - Impact investing
The percentage of investments in companies, organisations or projects that make a measurable positive contribution to people and the environment. - Active ownership
The extent to which we aim to make an impact on sustainability topics by voting at shareholder meetings and actively engaging with the companies we invest in. Examples include topics such as climate policy and CO₂ emissions.
Frequently asked questions
What does ESG mean?
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. These are some of the elements that are important when assessing sustainability.
What is the ESG score?
The ESG score is an estimated calculation of how sustainable your investments currently are relative to comparable funds. It is a way to compare sustainable investments more effectively. This score does not relate to the expected return on your investments.
The ESG score shows how companies perform on environmental factors, social policy and good governance. The higher the score, the more sustainable and future-proof your investments are considered to be.
For this score, BeFrank uses external data: the MSCI ESG Ratings. MSCI is an independently recognised provider of financial data.
What is the benchmark?
A benchmark is a standard used for comparison. It shows what the CO₂ emissions of the investments would be, both with and without sustainable choices. For this benchmark, we use external data from MSCI. MSCI is an independently recognised provider of financial data.
What does Sustainalytics do?
Sustainalytics is a global research and analysis company that focuses on ESG (environment, social policy and governance). This external service provider engages with companies on sustainable topics on behalf of BeFrank. These topics include, for example, climate policy and CO₂ emissions. Sustainalytics also prepares a quarterly and an annual report for BeFrank (from 2025 onwards).
What are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?
To create a sustainable world for everyone, the United Nations has set 17 development goals. These are also known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The core of these goals is to end poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change. In 2015, all 193 United Nations member states adopted these goals. The aim is to achieve a sustainable world for everyone by 2030, where no one is left behind.
Want to find out more about our approach to sustainable investing? Read our sustainable investment policy.