SDGs at DWS

Learn more about how DWS includes the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

ESG Engine

Those who invest according to ESG criteria have to take several factors into account when choosing suitable investments. The ESG Engine can provide a solution.

ESG Investments pay off

EU Action plan 2018 to meet the Paris Agreement goals

Keep the increase in global average temperature

to well below 2 °C by 2030

More investments in sustainable projects.

Institutional investors, asset managers, insurance companies

Investment decisions must consider

ESG criteria in the future.

Investment Advisor

Starting in 2020

investment advisors must ask their clients if they want to consider ESG for their investments.

180bn USD per year

needs to be invested by 2030 to achieve the Paris Agreement goals. [1]

Considering

ESG does not cost performance;

with successful active fund management there is a chance for better performance while volatility remains at the same or lower level. [2]

Interested in more details on ESG and the Paris Agreement goals? Get the full pdf here.

Video

Our commitments to responsible investing

As a fiduciary partner, we are committed to providing ESG solutions and expertise to enable our clients to invest responsibly.

DWS has long recognized the importance of ESG factors for investors and was among the early signatories of the United Nations-backed Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2008. We believe that our expertise and lengthy experience in sustainable investing provide us with valuable insights that can assist us to further protect and grow our clients’ assets over the long term.

The Principles in detail:

  1. We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision making process.
  2. We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
  3. We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
  4. We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.
  5. We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.
  6. We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles (DWS PRI Assessment Report 2020/2021). 

Click here if you would like to know more about the Principles.

 

Corporate Governance & Proxy Voting Policy 2023

Active Ownership: Engagement & Proxy Voting Report 2022

Working towards net zero

Sustainable Finance Report #2

Sustainable Finance Report #1

The gathering forces of ESG investing explored
Read more

Capabilities

Investing ESG

Actively managed ESG mutual funds

 

Thanks to the flexibility of the ESG Engine, we have been able to formulate common “minimum ESG” rules for all of our ESG retail funds in Active: for corporates, for sovereigns, and for green bonds. We use these standards to ensure that funds are ESG-compliant and as a basis for our conversations with institutional clients seeking advice on customised ESG solutions.



Read more

 

Passively indexed ESG funds

We are able to use a unique implementation in determining an ESG-oriented investment universe. We can rely on existing or customised ESG indices, closely cooperating with index providers, or we can use our proprietary ESG Engine to filter a standard market index.



Read more

 

ESG in alternatives investments

 

ESG is central to our Alternatives division’s investment process. It helps us to identify and mitigate potential key risks and to harness opportunities across our real assets business, which includes real estate and infrastructure and listed securities in these asset classes.



Read more

1. Source: United Nations Organisation, January 2019.

2. Source: Metastudy on ESG Performance by Friede, Busch and Bassen, University of Hamburg, December 2015.

CIO View