Impact investments

Impact Investments are investments in companies, organisations and funds with the intention of improving social and environmental development as well as financial returns. We offer a wide variety of funds including several that invest in the impact area.

SEB's Microfinance Funds

Microfinancing provides low and middle-income earners, who usually are excluded from the financial system, with services they need to start or grow a business. It also helps individuals to increase their capacity to absorb financial shocks, access goods of first necessity, accumulate assets, and invest in human capital such as health and education. Microfinancing is available as credit facilities, savings schemes, payment services, insurance and other basic financial products that help improve social and economic development.

SEB Funds is one of the largest microfinance investment managers in Europe, offering investors an attractive financial return and the opportunity to contribute to socioeconomic development. The microfinance funds focus primarily on two areas: financial inclusion and financing of small businesses. SEB Impact Opportunity Fund, launched in 2018, has a broader mandate enabling investment in sectors that have a positive impact on development and the environment.

Lyxor SEB Impact Fund

Lyxor SEB Impact Fund invests in companies that, via their products and services, offer innovative solutions to environmental or social challenges. The companies operate in five areas related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: sustainable energy, water availability, food and agriculture, resource efficiency and social improvement. The fund aims to provide investors with broad exposure to companies that are well-positioned to benefit from the global transformation to a more sustainable society. The fund is open to private and institutional clients.

Lyxor SEB Impact Fund is based on a multi-strategy concept: SEB Funds selects 4-8 underlying strategies run by experienced fund managers.  The investment process is driven by sustainability as well as achieving satisfactory financial returns. The managers are required to be active owners who represent investors when, for example, voting at the general meetings of the companies in which the fund is invested, and in influencing the companies regarding sustainability issues.