NETHERLANDS – SNS Asset Management, the institutional arm of the SNS Reaal Group, says it plans to change the way it researches sustainable investing.

“In 2005 SNS Asset Management plans to give an overall rating on all the dimensions of sustainability,” the group said in its new ‘sustainability report’.

“That means the social, environmental and financial facets of an organisation will be considered as a whole in the assessment.”

Up till now the various elements had been judged separately.

“In coming years the intention is to put a greater emphasis on the P of profit in judging sustainability,” it said.

SNS added it would change its research method. “Instead of examining sectors individually, all sectors will be continually researched.

“The advantage of screening throughout the whole year is that the data will be up-to-date and changes in the sector can be registered easily and quickly.”

“Institutional investors increasingly want to include companies in their portfolio taking their role in society seriously,” said Guus van der Kamp, director of SNS Asset Management.

“The economic performance of a company is often clear, but how do I as an institutional investor get insight into the social and ecological policy?”


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