14 | W&F Ethical Finance Awards 2024 Sustainable Asset Management Company of the Year 2024 - Belgium KBC Asset Management specialises in a wide range of services and products, with a focus on providing clients with sustainable and responsible investment funds. The company offers over 200 funds across a broad range of countries that enables clients to invest in socially and environmentally responsible countries. The business has made a commitment to providing a better world for future generations and has made conscious efforts to develop sustainable methodologies in accordance with this. Ellen tells us, “Sustainability is that important to us that it is not part of a separate strategy to us but is instead integrated into our overall corporate strategy and is this embedded in all pillars of that strategy.” “We are, and remain, a pioneer regarding Responsible Investing.” Ellen notes that over the recent years the company has seen an increase in its client’s desire to invest in a socially and responsible way and make positive contributions to the world. Responsible Investing is becoming more and more prevalent in consumer behaviour and KBC Asset Management has, since long, reflected this shift in its offerings. In Belgium, clients are first offered responsible investment funds as their first option and the company is seeing Responsible Investing playing more of an important role. Currently, KBC Asset Management is managing 44 billion euros across responsible investing funds. In order to remain ahead of industry developments, KBC Asset Management must consistently think to the future when making business decisions. The company maintains up-to-date methodologies and considers any current sustainable challenges when developing investment solutions for its clients. In 2023, KBC Group released a Sustainability Report that offers a detailed overview of the company’s targets and methodologies regarding sustainability and the current climate. The report gives an insight into the hard work and dedication that the company has put into minimising its impact on the environment and meeting its client’s environmental expectations. “Everyone invested all the time.” KBC Asset Management holds its client’s interests at the heart and always works to provide excellent services and solutions. Ellen says, “We want to realise a dream, allowing people from all walks of life to benefit from the capital markets.” The company aims to make investing easy, personal, and valuable for its clients so that the industry is accessible to everyone. An example of the level of accessibility attained by KBC is the company’s digital assistant Kate. Launched in November of 2020, the assistant provides personalised, relevant solutions to clients through the KBC Mobile app that eases the investment process. These measurements contribute to KBC Asset Management’s mission of making Responsible Investing a reality for customers from all walks of life. In addition to new innovations, the company recognises that its employees are an important element to retaining its high standards for sustainability. Staff are encouraged to behave respectfully and responsively towards clients in order to achieve top results. Internal programs and training are constantly ongoing to ensure that all employees are providing the most suitable advice and acting with integrity. Ellen tells us, “The foundation of responsible behaviour is integrity, which entails honesty, correctness, transparency, and confidentiality, combined with a sound risk awareness.” High standards of conduct translates into high standards of service exhibited across the company. KBC Asset Management is constantly striving for innovation, aiming to stay one step ahead of its competitors. Through being the industry reference, the company can attain more investors to allow more opportunities for its clients. Speaking on the future of the company, Ellen says, “KBC Asset Management moves together with the markets and the preferences of the client to keep its services up to date. We are exploring various routes that can help us and our clients.” To keep updated on the latest innovations in Responsible Investing, visit KBC’s website. Contact Details Contact: Ellen Jult Company: KBC Asset Management NV Web Address www.kbc.be | www.kbc.com Mar24635 KBC is a banking and insurance group that provides services to 12 million clients across Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria. The company’s goal is to enable its clients to grow and achieve their goals. KBC Asset Management NV, also known as KBC AM, acts as the investment arm of the KBC group and works with retail and institutional investors to provide advisory support and investment fund sales. We speak with Ellen Jult, Senior Product Manager Funds at KBC AM to find out more about the company’s unique investment model.
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