Finnish asset owner Varma is investing €500 million (US$528 million) in a tailor-made exchange-traded fund (ETF) listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that takes climate impacts into account. The ETF, managed by Nomura Asset Management, will invest in Japanese companies that have set science-based emission reduction targets and are actively working to reduce their CO2 emissions. “This is a cost-effective way to support positive climate development and at the same time generate returns from the Japanese market,” said Timo Sallinen, Varma’s Head of Listed Securities “It is a continuation of our previous climate-sensitive ETF fund investments in the US, Europe and developing countries.” One of Asia’s largest ETF fund managers, Nomura manages US$262 billion in assets through ETFs. Varma, which has set its climate targets in accordance with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), has committed to increasing the share of companies that have set SBTi targets in its listed equity and fixed income portfolios, as well as in its real estate fund, to 51% by 2027. “At Varma, we will continue to develop new ETF products that take sustainability aspects into account,” said Sallinen. Varma invests on behalf of almost a million private-sector pensioners. Its investment portfolio amounted to €63.2 billion at the end of September 2024.
Varma tekee merkittävän sijoituksen japanilaisiin vähäpäästöisiin yhtiöihin pörssinoteeratun ETF-rahaston kautta. Uusi ETF-sijoitus on listattu Tokion pörssiin. #ilmastonmuutoshttps://t.co/jDUdOxcoTn
— Työeläkeyhtiö Varma (@varma_tweet) December 4, 2024
