Astorg strongly believes responsible investment can lower risk and increase financial returns for our funds and for our portfolio companies while also benefiting society as a whole. This is why Environmental, Social and Governance aspects are key to Astorg’s activities and are fully integrated into our policies and processes.
Our ESG programme is based on our firm belief that sustainable business brings higher returns and is key if we want to meet future sustainability challenges successfully.
Viviana OcchionorelliPartner, ESG
ESG reports
Transparency is key for Astorg and this is why we provide periodic updates to all our stakeholders about the development of our responsible investment programme.
ensuring future compliance with upcoming industry trends and regulations on environmental and social issues
strengthening trust and transparency between Astorg and its shareholders
benefiting society and the environment
enabling our portfolio companies to have a competitive advantage and to be ready for the future sustainability challenges such as climate change and therefore improving financial performance in the long term
Initiatives we’re involved in
UNPRI
France Invest
Invest Europe
IC20
Strategy and 2022 Objectives
1. Integrating ESG principles into the investment process
Objective
100% of due diligence before offer validation integrates ESG aspects
2020 results
100%
2. Ensuring portfolio companies have an ESG programme
Objective
100% of Astorg portfolio companies adopted an ESG programme which includes:
An ESG representative
An ESG strategy
An ESG action plan with KPIs approved and discussed at Board level
An internal ESG committee
2020 results
80%
3. Ensuring portfolio companies improve their ESG processes and reduce their social and environmental footprint
Objective
100% of Astorg portfolio companies to carry out at least:
1 initiative to reduce their environmental footprint
1 initiative to improve the protection and well-being of their employees
1 initiative to improve their data security and protection process
1 initiative to improve their governance process
2020 results
93%
Companies disclosing their carbon footprint (scope 1, 2 and 3)
80%
Companies with an Ecovadis Sustainability Rating
93%
ESG and the investment process
We incorporate ESG criteria at every stage of our investment process.
One
Before investment, we conduct ESG screening and analysis of the targeted investments in order to identify any material breach against Astorg’s prohibited or restricted investments. Once the opportunity of a new investment is validated, we undertake specific ESG due diligences focusing on the investment’s material aspects in order to assess potential related risks and to identify possible opportunities.
Two
During the ownership phase, we monitor ESG progress within our portfolio by engaging with the companies’ management and supporting their ESG programmes, placing realistic expectations on the companies through an action plan reviewed at board level on a yearly basis.
Three
When exiting an investment, we seek to show evidence of the contribution of the company’s progress on ESG to its performance and we work closely with the company’s management to prepare it to answer to ESG-related questions from prospective buyers.
Our ESG programme
Astorg’s ESG approach has a very strong focus on strengthening our portfolio companies’ ESG performance and in supporting internal sustainability initiatives. For this, we have set up an entire programme to ensure continual improvement of our portfolio’s ESG performance.
Events
We organise three ESG events per year gathering all our portfolio companies’ ESG representatives around specific topics such as climate change and supply chain sustainability. Our ESG events aim to enable sharing of experiences and best practices, as well as provide training and encouragement for ESG initiatives within our companies.
Club
We have set up a network of sustainability leaders within our portfolio companies with the aim to share best practices and lead ESG programmes internally.
Data Collection
We run a yearly data collection campaign to measure and report our portfolio’s ESG performance on a number of environmental, social and governance indicators.
Carbon Footprint
As part of our commitment to the Initiative Climat 2020, we measure our portfolio’s carbon footprint and we set up climate action plans in order to reduce our companies’ carbon footprint and to unlock innovative opportunities to adapt to climate change.
ESG investments
We integrate responsible investment principles into our investment process, our portfolio companies and our own corporate culture.
Fairness is a core tenet of Astorg’s identity. We strive to cultivate an environment that brings different perspectives into our distinctive culture, which has been built upon listening and open-minded debate.
We value and respect all the differences that make each person unique. This is what diversity, equity and inclusion mean to us.
Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy is our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment in which there is no room for discrimination.
