Genus Capital Management Introduces Biodiversity Screen as a Cornerstone of Impact Investing

"Biodiversity has a substantial impact on economic activity, influencing a significant portion of the global economy," Mike Thiessen, chief sustainability officer and co-chief investment officer at Genus Capital Management, says in a press release.

"Investing in nature is positioned as a strategy to improve equity and economic returns."

That's why the Canadian asset manager is taking a "bold step" by excluding companies that "significantly contribute to biodiversity loss" from its investment portfolios, per the release.

To do so, Genus uses data from MSCI, a Thomson Reuters company, to zero in on companies that "significantly contribute to biodiversity loss" in raw materials sourcing, water stress, and biodiversity, as well as companies that "face criticism for unsustainable practices, such as Bath & Body Works' palm oil sourcing."

These companies are excluded from Genus' "Biodiversity Screen," which the company says "takes a bold step in excluding companies with low biodiversity performance from our clients' portfolios."

It's not the first time such a screen has been used, but Genuswhich has more than $35 billion in assets under managementis the first major asset manager to make such a move, per the Wall Street Journal.

It's also the first Canadian asset manager to do so

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