In this issue we take a look at socially responsible investment (SRI) and our cover feature (page 24) examines investors’ growing interest in SRI strategies. We find that, while the market remains sceptical about sector performance, attitudes are changing and just a few weeks ago Denmark’s €3.5bn kindergarten teachers’ pension fund, PBU, and eight of the PKA pension funds agreed to invest some €63m in socially responsible investment products.

Indeed, the results of nrpn’s second pension and life insurance fund survey (see page 16) show that more than 9 per cent of investors plan to increase their SRI holdings over the next six months, while 36 per cent said that they already have some allocation to the asset class.

In the run up to probable reform of Sweden’s Premium Pension System we also look at the Folkebørsen (see page 15), the Danish electronic savings platform, and examine how it has fared during its first year. Additionally, in our roundtable on page 22, four of Denmark’s leading investors explain what new investment classes they are considering, whether they intend to invest more of their assets overseas, and what challenges they face trying to generate sufficient returns for their members. The four funds also outline their policies on SRI.

Chris Newlands,

Executive editor

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