Switzerland

Switzerland is one of the leading countries for SRI in Europe. Swiss banks were among the first to offer SRI and to develop the necessary expertise. Consequently it was a Swiss company - the Swiss SAM Sustainability Group - that made a big step towards a broader perception of sustainable investments and formed together with Dow Jones Index the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

In the last years, there have been numerous releases of SRI products such as funds and certificates focusing on themes such as water, climate change and renewable energy / mobility. For the first time in 2007, Swiss private investors overtook institutional investors for the first time regarding their share of SRI investments.

Some facts about the Swiss market (based on data provided by onValues, as of 31/12/2007):

  • SRI Market Size: €21.1 billion for Core SRI
  • SRI Institutional Market Share: 47%
  • Influential actors: financial services providers
  • Leading Strategies: ethical exclusions, SRI Thematic
  • Legal Milestones: 2002 disclosure regulation on active share ownership of pension funds
  • SIF (yes/no): Yes, Sustainable Investment Forum FNG since 2001

For more information on the Swiss SRI market, please

  • Visit the Sustainable Forum for German speaking countries www.forum-ng.de
  • Or download the Swiss section of Eurosif European SRI Market study.