Triodos will do so by bringing the asset management of its SRI proposition in-house and by further intensifying its engagement activities with the aim to maximise positive change. This intensified and more integrated investment approach will apply both to the four Triodos SRI funds, i.e. Triodos Sustainable Pioneer Fund, Triodos Sustainable Mixed Fund, Triodos Sustainable Equity Fund and Triodos Sustainable Bond Fund, as well as to the discretionary portfolios from Triodos Bank Private Banking in the Netherlands. As a result, asset management services currently provided by Delta Lloyd Asset Management and Triodos MeesPierson will be phased out in 2018. Triodos Bank Private Banking services in Belgium offered in partnership with Puilaetco Dewaay Private Bankers remain out of scope of this development.

The activities of Triodos MeesPierson, a joint venture between Triodos Bank Private Banking and ABN AMRO MeesPierson, will be transferred to the respective parent companies as per 1 January 2018, subject to relevant regulatory approval. Albert van Zadelhoff, Managing Director Triodos Bank Private Banking: “The cooperation between Triodos and ABN AMRO started in 2005, when socially responsible investing was still in its early days and extra effort was needed for this investment approach to reach its full potential. Given the fact the sector as a whole has strongly matured, both ABN AMRO MeesPierson and Triodos Bank Private Banking feel the time is right to integrate the activities currently being managed by Triodos MeesPierson into their own organisations.”

The SRI asset management activities will become part of Triodos Investment Management. Marilou van Golstein Brouwers, Chair of the Management Board of Triodos Investment Management: “Since the 1990’s, Triodos Investment Management has strongly contributed to socially responsible investing becoming widely accepted in the investment industry. Building on our pioneering track record and given the current size of our SRI funds and the discretionary portfolios of Triodos’ Private Banking clients, we are now well positioned to take this logical next step.”

Marilou van Golstein Brouwers and Jacco Maters, Managing Director Delta Lloyd Asset Management, both express their confidence in the companies’ solid and long-lasting relationship: “It will be the foundation for making this transition as smooth as possible”.   

In addition to the highly-experienced sustainable research team already in place, Triodos Investment Management will further build the SRI asset management team – led by Erik Breen who joined Triodos Investment Management in 2013 – by bringing in experienced people with a strong and solid track record in the asset management industry. This process has already made a promising start with the early hires of William de Vries, former Head of core fixed income at Kempen Capital Management, per 1 January 2017 and Hans Stegeman, former Chief Economist Netherlands at Rabobank, per 1 February 2017. 

In line with our track record we will continue to deliver sustainable investment solutions in combination with a competitive long-term financial return. In this increasingly integrated investment approach Triodos’ beliefs, investment decisions and engagement voice will result in a strong appeal for responsible entrepreneurship on behalf of our clients and stakeholders.