MAPFRE AM, together with its French investment boutique partner La Financière Responsable (LFR), have launched a fund investing in companies that promote the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
Until now, the MAPFRE Inclusión Responsible fund has been marketed by MAPFRE AM, the asset management arm of MAPFRE Group, and LFR exclusively in France.
But following interest in the fund from institutional investors in particular, MAPFRE AM and LFR have decided to replicate a Luxembourg-based sister fund across the rest of Europe.
José Luis Jiménez Guajardo-Fajardo, group chief investment officer at MAPFRE, said: “Our research has identified that companies committed to disability have proved to be profitable and financially stable.
“We have therefore concluded that investing in such companies is not only positive for investors but is positive for society as a whole.”
MAPFRE AM’s methodology for researching companies for the portfolio uses seven themes with 40 variables. These include ‘commitment’, which takes into account the disability policies applied by companies, ‘projects’, which looks at specific initiatives, and ‘accessibility’, which considers the architectural barriers.
As a result of the analysis, which MAPFRE AM said includes continued contact with the companies, four levels of compliance are identified and labelled as ‘emerging’, ‘promising’, ‘committed’ or ‘leading’.
The new fund, which has been listed in the United Nations Global Compact report for best practice, is the latest addition to MAPFRE’s range of socially responsible, ESG-specific investment funds, which currently comprise the MAPFRE Capital Responsible and the MAPFRE Good Governance funds.
MAPFRE has also announced its intention to identify the company that it finds is the most committed to including people with disabilities in their workforce in June 2020.
The winning company, chosen by a jury, will be awarded the first MAPFRE Inclusión Responsable Recognition Award on 3 December next year.
