Japan’s Nissay Asset Management Corporation has won a mandate from the Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) to conduct research on impact investing, with help from the Japan Research Institute.
Impact investing is an approach that seeks to generate positive social or environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
According to Nissay, which announced its appointment in a statement on December 11, the research mandate complements GPIF’s sustainability policy that emphasises key environmental, social and governance objectives, including impact investing and enhanced stewardship.
The policy was outlined in the pension giant’s five-year portfolio allocation plan that kicked off in its current fiscal year beginning April 1.
“We believe impact investing, which strives to achieve both financial returns and positive social outcomes, is fully aligned with our purpose, and through this engagement, we aim to contribute to GPIF’s considerations in this area,” Nissay says.
Osaka-based Nissay Asset Management, the investment arm of Nippon Life Insurance, manages around 4.55 trillion yen (US$29.3 billion) of assets.
Tokyo-based GPIF is one of the largest pension funds in the world, managing around 277.6 trillion yen of assets as of September.
