corporate sustainability.

    Since 1796, Lombard Odier’s philosophy has emphasised that strong corporate social responsibility, with a clear vision and values, encourages good governance, integrity, stability and innovation. We seek to act as responsible entrepreneurs and stewards of capital, and our independent partnership structure gives us the flexibility to think in generational terms.

    We believe that our interests as a business and those of the society in which we operate are aligned. Thus, to ensure that we make a positive contribution to all of our stakeholders is also to ensure the long-term success of our Group through improved operational efficiency and lasting partnerships. We aim to link our corporate sustainability activities to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on those upon which we can have the most significant impact across our operating geographies. At the same time, we recognise the need to develop our corporate sustainability ambition and adapt our efforts as the issues we focus on continue to evolve.

    Sustainability Report 2022

    Lombard Odier's net-zero commitment by 2030

    Lombard Odier has committed to net zero by 2030 for its operations. This means that by 2030 the net impact on the environment from our operations emissions will be zero. Through the 2015 Paris Agreement, world governments committed to curbing global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. In order to achieve this, Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions must halve by 2030 and come down to zero by 2050.

    Our investments are treated separately from our operations. Lombard Odier has been a signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking (UN PRB) since 2020 and has been committed to aligning our Group, and portfolios, with the Paris Agreement by 2050. Further steps have been taken by Lombard Odier Investment Managers (LOIM) as they have signed in 2021 the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAMI). During COP26 in Glasgow, Lombard Odier joined the Glasgow Financial Alliance to Net Zero (GFANZ), which brings together assets owners to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy. 

    Economic responsibility

    As a global wealth and asset manager, we understand that what makes our economies and societies thrive over the long-term will also be good for our business. We thus take into account the social, environmental and economic effects of our actions. As an investor, we support the transition of our economies to more inclusive and sustainable models. We believe that sustainability is the single biggest factor affecting the way we interact with companies today and that it will not only drive returns, but also determine which companies succeed over the long-term. We believe it is essential that we use our products, services and relationships to support and accelerate this transition, and we do this by embedding sustainability in our investment processes and portfolios and through strong collaborative initiatives that contribute to shaping our industry.

    As a global wealth and asset manager, we understand that what makes our economies and societies thrive over the long term will also be good for our business

    In managing our clients’ wealth and assets, we strive for high standards in research, transparency, and sustainability. We seek to help our clients deploy their capital in areas and industries that we believe will be sustainable in terms of their finances, business practices and underlying business models. We have built a robust sustainability investment framework and, in mapping the investment landscape, we have identified several sustainability dynamics that we believe will shape risk, return and corporate success over the next decade. It is our belief that such dynamics are ushering in a new paradigm and exposing investors to certain risks, which include stranded assets1, regulatory instability, reputational fallout, environmental surtaxes, costs from lengthy court proceedings and heightened market volatility, to name just a few. However, these risks are also a new source of investment opportunities. For example, natural capital, clean energy, low-carbon real estate, enhanced mobility, inclusive technologies and microfinance are all significant areas of innovation that represent considerable growth prospects.

    B CorpTM.

    Lombard Odier has been B CorpTM certified since 2019. B CorpTM is one of the most widely recognised private sustainability certifications granted to companies that practice corporate sustainability at the highest level. The certification reflects our achievements so far and drives us to do even more to create a sustainable future. We are currently undergoing our recertification process which occurs every three years. 

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    Sustainability is deeply embedded in our DNA and our investment offering, which includes vehicles focused on creating positive social and environmental change. We hope many other financial institutions will engage in this movement that is doing so much to make business a force for good.

    Corporate environmental responsibility

    In order to deliver the best services for our clients and provide the best working environment for our employees, we aim to operate our business with a long-term focus.

    Lombard Odier is committed to using our resources responsibly. We calculate our annual carbon footprint analysis using the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol standards. Our carbon footprint analysis covers Scope 1, Scope 2 and some elements of Scope 3 emissions2. Each year we aim to identify and measure as wide a range of Scope 3 emissions as possible.

    We undertake a number of initiatives to reduce our use of resources, and have achieved a reduction in energy consumption, waste, plastics and paper use, and water consumption over the past several years. This is an ongoing undertaking and we continuously introduce initiatives aiming to reduce our footprint.

    Our corporate sustainability philosophy has shaped the development of our new global headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, which is currently under construction. The building aims to embody the highest standards of sustainability and we are constructing it with a robust framework in regards to material use, energy provision, circularity, employee well-being, protection of biodiversity, and other sustainability-related criteria.

    Employee engagement is key to improving our footprint and to offering a healthy working experience. We encourage input from our employees and follow up on suggestions and requests.

    Our commitment to our colleagues

    Our employees are at the centre of our decisions and strategy. Accordingly, we continually develop and adopt initiatives designed to improve the quality of their working lives. Lombard Odier strives to provide an ethical and inclusive workplace for all employees, as outlined in our Code of Conduct and Shared Values and other internal policies.

    A sustainable supply chain

    We seek to engage with suppliers who have adopted meaningful corporate responsibility policies and programmes that cover and actively support ethical conduct, diversity, social responsibility and environmental sustainability. In our Supplier Code of Conduct, we confirm our expectation that all our suppliers will over time align their business practices with the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact3. In this context, we embed sustainability criteria in the selection of our suppliers and sourcing activities. We engage with our suppliers to ensure a sharing of best practices and believe that we can achieve an optimal procurement chain through transparency and accountability.

    We seek to engage with suppliers who have adopted meaningful corporate responsibility policies and programmes

    Philanthropy and community outreach

    Lombard Odier has a long history of supporting social improvement through philanthropy. This can take the form of creating new financing solutions or bringing together new partnerships to catalyse action. Our corporate foundation, Fondation Lombard Odier, carries out the philanthropic activities of our Group and its Managing Partners. The Foundation funds forward-looking solutions through catalytic philanthropy and innovative finance to drive positive impact, especially in the fields of education and humanitarian action. Alongside our corporate foundation, with Fondation Philanthropia we also offer an "umbrella foundation" with sheltered dedicated structure to clients.

    An aim to make a positive and lasting impact on our communities is embedded in Lombard Odier’s culture. Our partnership with Alaya, a social engagement platform that links companies with volunteer opportunities in their cities or regions, enables Lombard Odier employees in Switzerland who wish to support charities by donating and volunteering, to sign up and contribute to the well-being of our local community.

    Risk and governance

    We are committed to conducting our business activities with high governance and risk standards, in adherence to applicable laws and with internationally accepted principles of good corporate governance.

    We have built accountability into our risk management culture and implemented it throughout the Group. We base our risk framework on the ‘three lines of defence’ model. We have a clear sustainability governance.

    We have a clear sustainability governance

    Our sustainability governance has two key centres of responsibility:

    • Our Sustainability Steering Forum oversees our sustainability philosophy, investment approach, and related policies;
    • Our CSR Steering Forum ensures that our non-investment related actions, operations and policies are aligned with our sustainability values. 

    Membership and Signatories

    We are part of a broader social and environmental ecosystem, and are signatories to several frameworks and certifications.  We align ourselves with those who are encouraging the transition to a more sustainable economic model. Our commitment to these frameworks, and related reporting requirements, help us to further integrate sustainability in a transparent manner in all our areas of business and operations. The Lombard Odier Group and/or its affiliates are signatories/members of the following initiatives:

     

    • B CorpTM
    • Business for Nature
    • CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project)
    • Circular Bioeconomy Alliance
    • Climate Action 100+ 
    • EDGE (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) 
    • Energy Transitions Commission (ETC)
    • Finance for Biodiversity
    • Forest Investor Club
    • Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero
    • Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) 
    • Green Bond Principles 
    • Institutional Investors Group for Climate Change (IIGCC) 
    • Natural Capital Investment Alliance
    • Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative
    • Sustainable Finance Geneva 
    • Sustainable Markets Initiative
    • Swiss Sustainable Finance 
    • Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
    • Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosure (TNFD) 
    • The Circular Bioeconomy Alliance 
    • UN Global Compact 
    • UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
    • UN Principles for Responsible Banking (UN PRB)
    • UN Principles for Responsible Investing (UN PRI)
    • UK Stewardship Code


    https://blogs.thomsonreuters.com/answerson/stranded-assets-accounting-climate-change/#:~:text=Ben%20Caldecott%20and%20a%20team,to%20liabilities%20and%20they%20can

    Scope 1 covers direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain.

    https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/un-global-compact-finding-solutions-global-challenges


     

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    Ebba LepageHead of Corporate Sustainability

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