20 February 2020

100+ investors endorse the Access to Medicine Index

Eight new investors have pledged support to the Foundation’s research and signed the Access to Medicine Index Investor Statement, taking the total number of signatory investors to 103 and the total assets under management (AUM) of all signatory investors to more than USD 14 trillion.

The eight new investors – Aegon Nederland N.V., Castlefield Investment Partners LLP, Coho Partners, Groupama AM, Harmonie Mutuelle, M&G Investments, Forma Futura AG and Parnassus Investments – have all committed to using the independent analysis of the Foundation in their investment research to compare how pharmaceutical companies manage risks and seize opportunities related to access to medicine.

“We are delighted to endorse the Access to Medicine Foundation in support of their admirable work in this important area,”says Ben Constable-Maxwell, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, M&G Investments. “The core goal of the initiative - to improve the supply and affordability of life-saving medical treatments – goes right to the heart of the pharmaceutical industry’s purpose. We look forward to collaborating with the Foundation and other signatory investors in better understanding existing practices and pushing for improved access to decent healthcare.”

Increasing interest in the Index from asset owners
The Foundation has noted a recent uptick in interest from asset owners, including insurance companies, in their research into access to medicine and drug-resistant infections. Aegon Nederland N.V. is one of the latest asset owners that have signed the Access to Medicine Index investor statement.

Willem Horstmann, Chief Risk Officer, Aegon Nederland N.V. explains: “As a long-term investor, we at Aegon NL take our responsibilities as both an asset owner and steward of client assets seriously. We acknowledge that health and well-being have an impact on our customers and wider society. Good health & well-being is one of the major topics we address in our responsible investment policy.

“We believe that working together with the Access to Medicine Foundation will improve our knowledge of how pharmaceutical companies manage the risks and seize the opportunities related to access-to-medicine. We will also apply those insights when evaluating the long-term potential of pharmaceutical companies and in our engagement with the sector.”

How do investors and analysts use our research?
There is increasing recognition that access to medicine is material for the pharmaceutical industry. The research by the Access to Medicine Foundation, including the Access to Medicine Index and the AMR Benchmark, is viewed by asset managers, asset owners and analysts as one of the most credible sources of information for assessing how pharmaceutical companies strengthen their licence to operate globally by improving access to medicine and tackle AMR.

Investors use the Foundation’s independent analysis of ongoing developments in the pharmaceutical sector to inform their dialogue with companies on important ESG topics such as compliance, governance, pricing, R&D and supply chain management.