One of the most significant ways Aegon positively impacts sustainability topics is via responsible investment.
We recognize our responsibility to limit the negative impacts of our investments on society and the environment. We apply this ethos to our own general account investments and use our influence to encourage similar standards in the investment decisions made by our customers.
By taking an active approach to responsible investment, we seek to reduce the risks to our business and explore ways to serve the interests of our customers and society at large.
Responsible Investment Policy
Our Responsible Investment (RI) Policy acts as the basis for how Aegon’s investments should be managed, consistent with our RI objectives, relevant laws, and governance standards.
Our approach to RI is based on the concepts of good stewardship and active ownership. We believe we can influence the behavior of investee companies through engagement where we reward companies that intentionally pursue RI principles. Through these efforts, we encourage companies to make positive changes to their operations and products for the benefit of wider society and the environment. Our RI approach will continue to adapt and evolve to meet the needs of our stakeholders and align with industry best practice.
Responsible investment activities in 2025
Responsible investment activities in 2025
Building on the 2024 update of our Responsible Investment Policy, our focus in 2025 was on embedding the policy across our key focus areas. Recognizing the interlinkages between climate change and biodiversity loss, biodiversity was designated as a focus area in the 2024 policy update. In 2025, we conducted an initial assessment to identify potential biodiversity-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across our portfolio. To support this evaluation, we used specialist tools that help financial institutions, such as Aegon, understand how economic activities depend on and impact nature across sectors and geographies. The insights from this analysis will guide our approach to managing nature-related risks.
Alongside this work, within our general account portfolio we continued to engage with high-emitting investee companies, as well as companies in breach of UN Global Compact principles. Our signatory status with the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance continued to guide our efforts on setting science-based targets and tracking progress in line with the Paris Agreement. During the year, we also distributed due diligence questionnaires to internal and external asset managers to assess their alignment with our Responsible Investment Policy and broader sustainability objectives.
For more information about the role of Aegon AM in Aegon’s responsible investment activities and approach, please refer to the Aegon AM Responsible Investment Framework documents available on the Aegon AM website.
Principles for Responsible Investment
As a signatory, Aegon is committed to transparently reporting on responsible investment practices for its general account. Its latest public Transparency Report covering the 2024 reporting period can be accessed via the PRI Data Portal.