BNP Paribas Asset Management has upgraded 18 of its exchange traded funds to ESG indices and Paris-Aligned Benchmark (PAB) standards.
It has made the changes to “enhance the responsible nature of its BNP Paribas Easy range”, the company said in a statement.
The changes mean 83% of the company’s index funds are now classified as SFDR Article 8 or Article 9.
“Since mid-2017, all of our ETF launches have focused on sustainable indices with the aim of having a predominantly responsible range,” said Isabelle Bourcier, head of quantitative and index management at BNPP AM. “Our offering within ESG index solutions now covers all equity and bond markets, a range of geographic areas and multiple ESG thematic investments, allowing us to offer new solutions to investors committed to a responsible approach.”
The ETFs and index funds that track the MSCI SRI S-Series 5% Capped range will adopt the characteristics of PABs in addition to the SRI criteria that is already applied.
Those that track the MSCI ex-CW range will move towards MSCI ESG Filtered Min TE indices and those tracking Smart Beta indices will also adopt ESG criteria.
Alongside these index changes, BNP Paribas Easy ECPI Global ESG Blue Economy and BNP Paribas Easy ECPI Circular Economy Leaders funds have seen their SFDR classification evolve from Article 8 to Article 9, to better reflect their objectives within responsible investment.
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