AEGON plans to use the ASSET4 information to enhance its understanding of the ESG risks and opportunities within its portfolios, a key requirement to implementing the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment that AEGON signed in June 2008.

“AEGON Asset Management has been a front-runner in the development of ethical investment vehicles for more than two decades,” said Ryan Smith, AEGON’s Head of Corporate Governance & SRI. “By signing the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment, we have further committed to incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes throughout the organisation. The addition of the ASSET4 information solution to our research capabilities gives us an in-depth ability to identify and understand the ESG performance of each of the companies, industries and sectors that we invest in across all the funds we manage.”

“The reputation of AEGON Asset Management (UK) as a manager of responsible investment funds is well known, and we are very pleased that they have chosen to use our solution,” said Simon Rowell, ASSET4 Managing Director, UK. “Many of our clients tell us that after signing the Principles for Responsible Investment, beginning to implement them can be quite challenging. The ASSET4 ESG database, which is the world’s largest, along with our leading-edge evaluation and integration tools can directly support AEGON in this process. In addition, our solution can provide them with a new level of information to use in their engagement with companies on these issues, which is another important aspect of responsible investing.”

AEGON Asset Management
AEGON Asset Management manages around £40 billion* of assets in the UK and is a leading manager of fixed income investments with a growing reputation in UK equities and a distinguished record in ethical investing. AEGON Asset Management UK plc is a subsidiary of the AEGON NV group. From our head office in Edinburgh, we work closely with our colleagues in the US and the Netherlands; it gives us access to local expertise in key global markets.
www.aegonam.co.uk

ASSET4
ASSET4 provides professional investors a new generation of investment research information and corporate executives ESG management and benchmarking capabilities. The ASSET4 information and tools enable clients to improve investment performance, reduce risk, develop innovative products, drive down research costs and monitor the ESG aspects of their companies and portfolios. ASSET4 has 240 employees and is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland with locations in London, New York, Paris, Frankfurt, Mauritius and India. It is a proud signatory of the UN's Principles for Responsible Investment. www.asset4.com

*Source: AEGON Asset Management, as at 30 June 2008