In a statement, AXA IM said it had responded to this demand by increasing its stewardship activities and coverage in 2013.
AXA IM global head of responsible investment Matt Christensen, who is Paris-based, said their clients are assigning greater importance to how ESG factors impact their returns in the long run.
“In the last 12 months, we have worked with several European pension funds as well as AXA Group to help them take responsible practices into account more explicitly,” he said.
“This is a clear trend and is gaining momentum, globally and in Australia."
Mr Christensen also said impact investing, which is broadly defined as investments in businesses and/or funds that generate social and/or environmental benefit in return, is starting to catch the attention of sizeable funds globally and locally.
“The impact investing market is still relatively young but its growth has resulted in initiatives that enhance its credibility such as the setting up of standards such as IRIS (Impact Reporting and Investment Standards) or labels such as GIIRS (Global Impact Investing Rating System),” he said.
AXA IM is currently working with AXA Group on an impact investment fund of funds strategy.
