Fidelity International Pension Plans: Sustainable Options for a Sustainable Future

Fidelity International’s position as a founding member of the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative reflects the company’s commitment to lever its #leadership position to drive system change in financial markets.

This said, overarching ambition and pledges don’t always equate to short term action, and it's thus encouraging to see news this week from Fidelity that it will reduce carbon #emissions within FutureWise, the company’s default investment strategy for UK-based #pensions plans.

Arguably the most fascinating aspect of the move is that it was prompted, in part, by client expectations:  according to FundsEurope, in a 2020 survey of 120,000 FutureWise members, “Fidelity found that nearly two-thirds believed workplace #pension schemes should automatically incorporate #sustainability within their default investment strategy."

To align with new expectations, Fidelity’s investment managers will need to redistribute assets. That won't be tension-free, one imagines, and will take time.

However, as Keith Metters, Fidelity’s Head of Global Workplace Investing said: “it's imperative that the industry provides solutions to allow...positive impact with retirement savings.”

Here's to Metters and more like him delivering #systemschange.