In an increasingly crowded ESG investing landscape, EFG Asset Management is aiming to stand apart through a rigorous, integrated and transparent approach.

For Melanie Beyeler, Senior Portfolio Manager at EFG, sustainable finance is not only a competitive differentiator, but a long-term shift in how capital is managed and deployed.

“At EFG, we view ESG integration as an essential element of sound risk management,” says Beyeler. “This means we systematically consider relevant environmental, social and governance factors alongside traditional financial analysis to better manage risks and identify opportunities across all investments.”

Rather than limiting ESG to a niche set of products, EFG sees it as a lens that enhances investment decisions across the board. The bank also places strong emphasis on aligning capital with client values and broader societal shifts.

“When it comes to sustainable investing, we focus on areas where we see an opportunity to deliver attractive long-term returns while supporting broader sustainability goals,” Beyeler explains. “We recognise that our role as an asset allocator on behalf of our clients positions us to channel capital towards solutions that support the transition to a more sustainable economy.”

A Systematic Approach

This values-driven approach is backed by EFG’s proprietary tool – the Global Responsible Investment Platform (GRIP), which plays a central role in evaluating ESG factors throughout the investment process.

“To ensure ESG factors are consistently integrated into our investment process, we use our proprietary ESG measurement tool, GRIP (Global Responsible Investment Platform),” says Beyeler. “It brings together more than 400 data points and insights from a range of established ESG research providers into one system, providing us with a holistic view of each company’s ESG strengths and weaknesses.”

The GRIP system helps standardise how EFG evaluates ESG risks and opportunities across companies and sectors, enhancing its ability to construct portfolios that are both resilient and forward-looking.

Meeting Generational Demand

As ESG themes move from the margins into the mainstream, Beyeler sees a clear rise in client appetite, particularly among younger investors.

“In my experience with clients and supported by recent industry insights, interest in sustainable investing remains resilient with more than 60% of investors reporting increased interest over the past two years,” she notes.

A key factor behind this shift is generational wealth transfer. “Over the next decade, Millennials and Gen X are expected to inherit around $22tn globally – and they expect their bank to offer investment strategies and solutions that align with their values,” she adds.

To respond, EFG is expanding its sustainable investing offering with thematic strategies such as clean energy, climate resilience, and gender equality, ensuring the bank keeps pace with changing client priorities.

“At EFG, we see sustainability as secular trend. And we continue to expand our sustainable investing offering to ensure it meets our clients’ expectations and priorities – across generations,” she says.

Navigating Regulation and Risk

The growing demand for ESG investing also comes with increased regulatory scrutiny, particularly around disclosure, transparency, and accountability. Beyeler says the Swiss private banking sector is adapting, but there’s more to do.

“The regulatory landscape for sustainable finance has become more rigorous in recent years and continues to evolve,” she says. “As a Swiss private bank, we recognise that clients, investors and regulators expect greater transparency, stronger governance and reliable data to show how sustainability is managed in practice.”

Progress is being made. “The Swiss private banking sector has made solid progress by increasingly aligning with the voluntary Swiss Climate Scores, improving ESG disclosures, updating governance standards, and helping clients invest more sustainably,” she explains, pointing to collaborative efforts like the “Sustainable Finance as an Opportunity for Wealth Management” initiative, which brought together more than 20 banks to deepen their sustainability integration.

A Long-Term Transformation

For EFG, the embrace of ESG is not a box-ticking exercise, it’s a strategic shift that will shape the future of wealth management.

“Sustainability is not a passing phenomenon, but a secular trend that will have a lasting impact on the development of the global economy,” Beyeler says. “Climate change and its physical impacts such as extreme weather events influence how companies assess risks and how they operate.”

She adds that sustainability is becoming “core to how we advise clients, build portfolios and manage risks,” and that for the next generation, “expertise and an attractive offering in this area is expected from wealth managers.”

Embedding Sustainability in Culture

Furthermore, EFG’s commitment goes beyond investment strategy, it’s embedded within its corporate culture and employee engagement.

One standout initiative is the partnership with Team Malizia, led by sailor Boris Herrmann, to raise awareness about ocean conservation through the ‘My Ocean Challenge’ education programme.

“EFG employees can volunteer one day per annum to help raise awareness about ocean conservation partnering with schools around the world,” Beyeler says.

Internally, EFG also invests in training to deepen ESG expertise across its teams.

“We continue to provide ESG-related trainings to our employees to analyse risks and opportunities and educate them about our evolving product offering as well as relevant regulatory developments,” she says. “EFG is convinced that by investing in training and development of our people and by actively fostering employee engagement, we remain the preferred financial partner for our existing and prospective clients, including the next generation.”

In a fast-changing ESG landscape, EFG is betting on long-term commitment over short-term compliance. For Beyeler and her team, sustainability isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s about building trust and resilience, today and into the future.

Sign up for our daily news round-up!

Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights.