Andra AP-fonden (AP2) publishes its second report on its work with human rights, based on the United Nations’ Reporting Framework. The report describes how the Fund addresses its responsibility to respect human rights and the processes it employs to make these rights integral to its business activities. As well as describing areas where the Fund has made important strides in developing its human rights efforts, the report also highlights some of the challenges identified.

Since 2016, AP2 has worked systematically to enhance the integration of human rights issues in its investment decisions. As one of the first investors in the world, AP2 published the first report in 2019 in accordance with the UN Framework. The report published today is an updated and developed report aimed at increasing transparency regarding its efforts to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as well as its achievements and challenges during this process.

“As early as 2016, we had already decided to support the ‘UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework’. We hope it will not only explain how we are working with human rights, but also contribute to a broader dialogue on human rights issues in the finance industry,” says CEO Eva Halvarsson, AP2.

“We are actively engaged in integrating sustainability issues, including human rights issues, as part of our asset management activities. Among other topics, the report describes our method for identifying companies involved in human rights controversies and which may therefore be excluded from the portfolio. But also, the framework we have developed to manage the Fund’s geographical exposure with a focus on human rights. The framework is based, inter alia, on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Fund’s human rights policy,” explains Eva Halvarsson.

Using the UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework helps the Fund to focus on the key issues, while also functioning as an internal instrument for identifying deficiencies and developing the process.

Human rights – Andra AP-fonden (ap2.se)

More about the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights at www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/GuidingPrinciplesBusinessHR_EN.pdf

For further details, please contact:

Ulrika Danielson, Head of Corporate Communications, on +46 709 50 16 13.
Åsa Mossberg, Senior Sustainability Strategist, on +46 31 704 29 00.

Andra AP-fonden is one of five buffer funds within the Swedish pension system and one of northern Europe’s largest pension funds. The Fund’s assets under management total SEK 386.2 billion (31 December 2020), and cover essentially all asset classes across the entire world. We are leading specialists in the Swedish pension system and strive to be a world-class asset manager. We are a global leader in integrating sustainability in our investments, for the benefit of the pension system. The Fund is a long-term and responsible asset manager. www.ap2.se