Two years after announcing its creation with the support of several French institutional investors, the agency resulting from the combination of Spread Research and EthiFinance has taken another important step in its development as the leading European agency for integrated financial and sustainability analysis. This involves an expansion of the group of institutional backers and a rebranding of the group's services.

As part of Varma's updated Principles for Responsible Investment, climate change has been given more weight and emission-generating industries are subject to enhanced monitoring.

According to Héléna Charrier, director of responsible investment projects at Caisse des Dépôts, Caisse des Dépôts and its subsidiary Bpifrance also want to support the decarbonisation of their investment portfolios in unlisted companies...

A shrinking proportion of Varma's investments are in companies that are dependent on fossil energy sources and in corporate bonds that invest in them. This was also found in a WWF report that assesses global pension funds' commitment to climate targets.

Infrastructure development in cities is key to fighting climate change and fostering sustainable development. Cities need to become more inclusive, resilient and sustainable as stated by Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Number 11.