ESG is marching forward. So the fund industry as a whole is looking closer on ESG topics inside the companies it is holding. But ESG is not only a topic for the “other companies”, it is also a topic for the companies within the financial industry. Here we can also see advancement.
One example is the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI). In October 2020 ALFI joined the community of more than 200 entities adhering to the principles of the Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg. The association has been actively involved in the promotion of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) for several years.
By becoming a signatory of this initiative, ALFI commits to:
- Respecting and promoting the principles of non-discrimination, promoting pluralism and developing diversity through recruitment criteria and career management;
- Promoting equality of employment opportunities and equalities of treatment, and;
- Increasing capacity for innovation and creativity.
Corinne Lamesch, ALFI Chairperson, who has also spoken on a Fondsfrauen event, comments: “ALFI launched its D&I Forum during my first year as chair in 2019. The Forum serves as a platform to exchange ideas and best practices between members of the association. Signing the Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg is an important step in line with ALFI’s mission to accelerate progress towards diversity and an inclusive culture within the Luxembourg fund industry.”
Ms Lamesch continues: “We believe that diversity is about empowering people regardless of their differences, whether it’s their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, education or nationality. Luxembourg is a multicultural country with a multitude of different nationalities, each one bringing a diverse set of perspectives, alongside work and life experiences. As an industry, we wish to help shift the asset management mind-set towards becoming more diverse and inclusive.”
Camille Thommes, ALFI General Director, concludes: “We encourage all current initiatives of our members and other Luxembourg players and believe that a united approach will lead to better results.”
The Diversity Charter Lëtzebuerg is an initiative of IMS Luxembourg (Inspiring More Sustainability). It is a national commitment text aiming at diversity promotion and management through concrete actions that go beyond legal obligations
Photo: ALFI
Anke Dembowski ist Finanzjournalistin und Autorin verschiedener Investmentfonds- und anderer Finanzbücher. Sie ist außerdem Mit-Gründerin des Netzwerks „Fondsfrauen".