The Quality Standard
for sustainable investing
The Quality Standard stipulates a set of portfolio and process level requirements. A financial product should at least fulfil these requirements to receive the label. They are a mix of exclusion, impact, engagement, transparency and accountability.
Independent supervision by the Central Labelling Agency (CLA) protects the integrity of the Quality Standard and the label.
The Quality Standard
Do not harm
We check whether the manager of the financial product does not use your money to invest in companies or governments that are involved in activities and practices that are generally considered as very harmful.
Each investment is screened for its potential positive or negative impact on sustainability issues like nature, labour conditions and good governance (ESG). Additionally, the possible impact of sustainability events like climate change, social unrest or legal controversies on the performance of the investments, is analysed.
No money for weapons, tobacco, coal, unconventional oil & gas and laggard oil & gas and electricity utilities.
Investee companies must not violate high-level normative frameworks like the UN Global Compact, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the ILO Conventions.
Positive impact
Going beyond the minimal requirement of ‘do no harm’, the product manager shall use your money to invest in projects, companies or governments with a positive contribution to society. This is done by following at least one of these additional strategies.
Investing in companies with the highest ESG ratings, overall, per industry, sector or region.
Investing in companies or sectors related to a specific sustainability theme, e.g. clean energy, health, sustainable agriculture, diversity.
Investing in companies or projects dedicated to creating concrete and measurable positive social or environmental impact through their products or services.
Underweighting investments with lower ESG scores and overweighting investments with higher ESG scores in the portfolio, relative to the product’s benchmark.
Building the investment portfolio in such a way that overall it scores better than a benchmark on one or more ESG indicators, e.g. carbon intensity.
Engaging in a dialogue with companies and/or exercising voting rights in the companies invested in.
However, following this strategy as the only additional strategy is not sufficient.
For investments in the fossil fuel sector, engagement is mandatory.
Donating part of the return of the portfolio or of the management fees to a charity or a good cause.
However, following this strategy as the only additional strategy is not sufficient.
Another way to favour more sustainable issuers in the selection process, if recognized by the CLA.
Transparency
Furthermore, the product manager needs to be transparent about its investment policies and publish on its website how and which harmful activities are avoided, and how positive impact is pursued. This will help you to determine if the policies governing the product are in line with your personal convictions.
Signatories of the Quality Standard
Signatories commit that all products they market in Belgium as 'sustainable', have obtained or are in the process of obtaining the Towards Sustainability label. Of course, Signatories can also use other labels in addition to the Towards Sustainability label.
Becoming a Signatory is a voluntary additional commitment on the level of the product provider. It is not a requirement for obtaining labels for individual products.
Text of the Quality Standard
Consult the full text of the original 2019 Quality Standard including all detailed criteria. Or the technical document with the 2021 revisions to the original text.