The Company
Ethius Invest Switzerland was founded in 2018 as a sustainable and value-oriented wealth management company in Lucerne, Switzerland. It was set up by responsible investors with the aim of promoting sustainable change in the financial sector while also achieving for our customers attractive returns on the market.
Our company philosophy
Ethical investments have the potential to gradually influence and positively change social, ecological and cultural aspects of economic reality.
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Behind Ethius Invest are people interested in the direct relationship between investing and the knock-on effects that come about as a result. The most obvious effect of an investment is an increase in value or current income in the form of a return. Through investments motivated by sustainability, however, an outcome beyond one's own financial interests can be achieved.
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Maximising this potential is the purpose of our work at Ethius. Our competence and credibility are based on the fact that sustainable investments are not add-ons to a different core business, but rather they are part of the DNA of our company.
Company policy and values
As an independent wealth management company, we follow clear ethical principles. In our investment process, we consider the social and ecological dimensions of responsible management. These basic attitudes are reflected in our company policy as follows:
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1. Ethical and sustainable values apply when making investing decisions
The methodology of Ethius Invest draws on the Global Challenges Index® whose investment concept was developed by an independent expert advisory board. It determines the definition of positive and exclusionary criteria as follows:
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Sectors excluded from investments: Green genetic engineering, pesticides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, nuclear energy, fossil fuels (oil and coal), armaments, alcohol, tobacco, pornography, gambling, industrial livestock farming, animal testing (unless required by law).
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Business practices excluded from investments: accounting violations, corruption and money laundering, controversial environmental behaviour (e.g. overuse or pollution of waters, contamination), human rights and labour law controversies.
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Positive criteria refer to the seven challenges that contribute substantially to addressing global issues. Find out more here.
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2. Fiduciary exercise of shareholder rights
The active exercise of shareholder rights involves ongoing dialogue with the companies in our portfolio and is implemented as follows:
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Constructive engagement process considering a socially responsible and ecologically sustainable engagement guide.
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Exercise of voting rights and participation in general meetings under strict compliance with in-house voting rights guidelines. ​
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Collaborative engagement with professional shareholder networks such as the Pan-European network Shareholders for Change.
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3. Social Entrepreneurship​
A total of 15% of our current revenues is used to systematically finance social and ecological projects. Through the Ethius trust at the Arco Foundation, social impact is woven into our business model.
The Foundation's regulations can be viewed on request. Investing decisions for charitable projects are made by the Ethius trust advisory board. Project proposals from all stakeholder groups are considered and welcome.
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Ethius Partner
Julius Alexander van Sambeck
Johann Robin Schmitt-Opitz
Maria Luisa Lange
Advisory Council
Dr.iur. Marcel Aellen
Legal Counsel
