Zürcher Kantonalbank offers sustainable equity ETFs for the first time
Media release 2 April 2025
- For the first time, Zürcher Kantonalbank is offering sustainable equity ETFs (exchange-traded funds), which its Asset Management is managing as part of the Swisscanto product markets.
- The four new «Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs» provide easy access to the Swiss, global, US and eurozone equity markets.
- The ETFs are based on a novel and innovative sustainability methodology. They focus on companies that make a positive contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The future-oriented approach is implemented with tailored indices, calculated daily by an external index provider.
- As the second largest provider of indexing investment solutions in Switzerland, Zürcher Kantonalbank already manages over CHF 160 billion. Its long-standing expertise in index solutions is also being reinforced in terms of personnel.
- For the launch of the products, the stock exchange bell is leaving its established place at SIX for the first time in its history to ring in trading at FINANZ'25.
It’s a double debut: with the new sustainable «Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs», Zürcher Kantonalbank’s Asset Management is bringing equity ETFs to the Swiss exchange for the first time following the well-known precious metal ETFs. On 2 April, the stock exchange bell will sound for the celebratory opening of trading not at SIX for the first time, but at the FINANZ'25 finance fair in Zurich. This is also a novelty in the history of the Swiss financial centre.
From 2 April 2025, the new ETFs will complement Zürcher Kantonalbank’s established index-linked offering under the Swisscanto brand and give investors access to four key markets:
- Swiss equities: Swisscanto (CH) ESGen SDG Index Equity Switzerland ETF
- Global equities: Swisscanto (IE) ESGen SDG Index Equity World UCITS ETF
- US equities: Swisscanto (IE) ESGen SDG Index Equity USA UCITS ETF
- Eurozone (EMU) equities: Swisscanto (IE) ESGen SDG Index Equity EMU UCITS ETF
Combined ESG expertise
The new Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs stand out from other sustainable solutions on the market. The holistic approach focuses on equities of companies that are both classified as sustainable and in our view make a positive contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable industries and companies that support the SDGs generally have high prospects for growth and could benefit from billions of dollars in investment in the future. Zürcher Kantonalbank’s Asset Management also uses voting and engagement to ensure that companies continuously operate more sustainably.
The focus on the innovative sustainability methodology ideally complements the traditional advantages that make ETFs so popular. Didier Böckli, Head of Index Solutions at Zürcher Kantonalbank, comments: «With the new Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs, investors are investing in a more future-oriented, sustainable economy – and they can do so very easily and also with smaller investment amounts.»
Strong growth with proven index solutions
The Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs build on the strong growth that the Index Solutions division has experienced in recent years. With around CHF 163 billion of assets under management at present, the Swisscanto product brand has established itself as number two in the Swiss index business. Over CHF 40 billion of this amount is attributable to sustainable index funds and over CHF 12 billion to the established Swisscanto precious metal ETFs.
The four new Swisscanto ESGeneration SDG ETFs also underline Zürcher Kantonalbank’s ambition as a fund provider to grow in the area of sustainable investments, in line with its tradition. Iwan Deplazes, Head of Asset Management at Zürcher Kantonalbank, notes: «Like all Swisscanto investment strategies, our sustainable fund solutions are developed 100 percent in Switzerland. With this range, Asset Management has developed a unique proposition in Switzerland and abroad.»
Building on our already strong position, the sales department of our sustainable index solutions is undergoing significant expansion. Hans-Jörg Morath and Yves Béréhouc are joining the sales team led by Ramon Vogt, Head of Wholesale Switzerland. All three financial experts have many years of experience, particularly in the sale of ETFs and passive investment solutions.
Further information on the launch of the four new sustainable ETFs can be found at: swisscanto.com/etfs
Contact: Zürcher Kantonalbank Media Relations, telephone +41 44 292 29 79, medien@zkb.ch
More about Zürcher Kantonalbank’s Asset Management
Zürcher Kantonalbank is a leading universal bank in the Greater Zurich Area, with national roots and international reach. It is an independent public-law institution of the canton of Zurich. Proven specialists at Zürcher Kantonalbank Asset Management develop high-quality investment and pension solutions for private investors, companies and institutions. The bank is known for its pioneering role in sustainable investments; the Swisscanto funds it manages regularly achieve national and international recognition.
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