Sustainability is ingrained in the NIO culture and the approach to investing and monitoring. NIO originates from a sustainable mindset practiced by our founders, pioneers within renewable energy infrastructure and sustainable real estate as well as a single family office with a foundation committed to deliver positive societal change. Building on this heritage, NIO firmly believes in integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations throughout the investment process both in terms of identifying new investment themes as well as continuing to raise the bar for sustainability in our investments. Incorporating ESG initiatives in the management of investment companies both serves as risk-mitigation, sound optimisation of the business, and also as an important return-enhancing feature, as companies with improved sustainability are more likely to attract a premium when sold. We invest with companies that share our guiding beliefs, and we practice active ownership to ensure our portfolio continuously lives up to our promise to offer our investors best-in-class alternative investments.
NIO has been UNPRI Signatory since 2021.
Our public ESG policy is reviewed annually and applies to all our processes and investments. It guides our approach and the principles for responsible investments while ensuring adherence to applicable regulation, external standards and internal governance.
E – Environment
Environmental factors play a key role across our investments and we expect all companies in our portfolios to look for ways to reduce carbon footprint either directly or indirectly and to be acutely aware of risks due to climate change. This will also include incorporating resource and energy efficiencies in all projects.
S – Social
Respect for social and humanitarian rights must be adhered to at all times and NIO accepts no investments that would breach fundamental humanitarian principles, fundamental labour rights and companies are expected to have adequate health & safety policies.
G – Governance
NIO accepts no corruption and/or bribery by any of the parties involved in an investment and requires companies to respect sanctions on jurisdictions by the UN, EU, USA or UK. Investments that on the investment date are domiciled in jurisdictions on the European Union list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes are avoided.
Manager ratings will be updated annually to reflect potential improvements/changes to ESG approach and developments over time - as well as new regulatory/legal and market standards and requirements
We believe that sustainability is about acting responsibly without compromising financial returns. We deliberately and systematically integrate ESG risks and opportunities by actively screening, rating and monitoring our investments and our managers’ approach to ESG. NIO has developed an ESG rating tool, which consistently and meticulously scores ESG integration at each of the funds we invest in. We consistently act in the best interests of our investors and other stakeholders, looking for investments that are able to generate sustainable value and long-term returns.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are used as a framework by many of the managers we have committed to and several of the goals are represented in our investments depending on the asset class.
In 2021, NIO developed and implemented an in-house tool that rates managers’ commitment to ESG with inputs from NIO’s General Partners and Limited Partners. The tool is designed to be a useful guidance to understand the manager’s commitment to ESG and to have a standardised framework across funds as well as have a dialogue with managers about areas of improvement. Managers are rated based on +50 multiple choice questions grouped into three categories related to:
ESG approach
ESG policies, procedures and level of integration into decisions.
Corporate buy-in
To what extent is ESG considerations part of the culture at the GP and an area of priority.
Reporting & monitoring
Level of reporting and tracking of ESG developments with portfolio companies.
On an annual basis NIO publishes a report on ESG and share our progress and ESG priorities including case studies and updates of ESG ratings for our investments.
NIO has an ESG Steering Committee comprising of members from the investment team, investor relations, operations and compliance. The ESG Steering Committee is responsible for overseeing and developing NIO’s ESG and engagement agenda and for coordinating ESG activities across the firm. This includes the NIO Sustainability Academy where all NIO employees on a quarterly basis are updated and educated on an ESG topic to help raise the general knowledge of ESG matters at a firm level.
We release disclosure statements in compliance with Article 10 (1) of the European Union Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Article 10 – Website Disclosures
NIO IFF I – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
NIO IFF II – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
NIO IFF III – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
NIO IFF IV – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
NIO IFF V – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
CI ETF I F&F – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
CI IV F&F – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
CI V F&F – SFDR art. 10 website disclosure
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV III K/S – SFDR Product Disclosures
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV IV K/S – SFDR Product Disclosures
NIO Real Estate II SCSp – SFDR Product Disclosures
NIO Global Infrastructure I Feeder K/S – SFDR Product Disclosures
NIO Global Infrastructure I SCSp – SFDR Product Disclosures
NIO Real Estate III SCSp – SFDR Product Disclosures
Periodic Disclosures
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV I K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV II K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV III K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
Nordic Investment Opportunities CIV IV K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
Infrastructure Feeder Fund I K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
NIO Infrastructure Feeder Fund II SCSp – SFDR – Art8 template
NIO Infrastructure Feeder Fund III K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
NIO Infrastructure Feeder Fund IV SCSp – SFDR – Art8 template
CI IV Sponsor Investor F&F K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
CI ETF I Sponsor Investor F&F K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
NIO Real Estate I K/S – SFDR – Art8 template
NIO Real Estate II SCSp – SFDR – Art8 template