Investment company Scottish Widows will incorporate environmental factors and nature conservation into their equity indices.
Scottish Widows and Robeco Partner to Develop Sustainable Equities Indices
In early 2025, Scottish Widows, a leading UK pensions and life insurance company, formed a strategic partnership with Robeco, a global leader in sustainable investing [1][2]. The partnership aims to adjust Scottish Widows' index offering to support the energy transition and promote responsible investing.
The collaboration between the two firms will focus on the development of sustainable equities indices, with a particular emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. This approach is expected to support emerging markets and sustainable equity strategies, as demonstrated by funds tracking the Robeco Scottish Widows Emerging Markets Equity Sustainability Tilted Index [2].
The new indices will be designed to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate measures, and Scottish Widows' exclusions policy. The partnership is also set to produce research and analysis on key responsible investment themes, such as the energy transition and nature, including deforestation [1][2].
Eva Cairns, the Head of Responsible Investment at Scottish Widows, emphasized the importance of the collaboration, highlighting the combined expertise, research, and centre of excellence that the partnership brings [4]. She also underscored the potential for the partnership to deliver unique solutions in the field of sustainable investing.
The partnership is expected to help Scottish Widows accelerate achieving its Climate Action Plan goals by enhancing its ESG integration and stewardship capabilities [1][4]. Robeco will also act as a voting and engagement partner for Scottish Widows, supporting their stewardship activities and governance frameworks [3].
The new indices will incorporate responsible investing as a standard feature, making them suitable for investors seeking to align their investments with sustainable development goals and the energy transition [2]. These indices are designed specifically for UK workplace pension savers [5].
The collaboration between Scottish Widows and Robeco continues to demonstrate growing industry efforts to address climate change and promote sustainable development. The partnership is expected to result in the creation of innovative indices that reflect the shift towards a more sustainable economy.
- In their partnership, Scottish Widows and Robeco are developing sustainable equities indices with a focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, which align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the energy transition.
- This collaboration between Scottish Widows and Robeco is also expected to bring unique solutions and research in the field of environmental science, particularly on key responsible investment themes such as the energy transition and nature, including deforestation.
