Zurich Life has a long-term holding in a Taiwanese technology company which has had a consistently high ESG rating. We meet and speak with the company regularly and are consistently impressed with its strategy for sustainable value creation. The company’s corporate governance is excellent to the benefit of all stakeholders. The company has a strong commitment to being a technological lead, through cutting edge research and development. It also partners well with its customers and its highly qualified and motivated staff has driven long-term success, and exceptional investment returns. Occasionally, well-funded new entrants to the industry appear as a threat, but the company’s track record and innovative mind-set give us confidence to maintain our holdings, and also add to them as opportunities arise
We invest in a US healthcare company which specialises in the treatment of sleep disorders. As populations age, this is likely to become an increasing area of concern requiring solutions. The company is very well governed with strong employee engagement, protection and advancement practices. It ranks towards the top of its peer group when these ESG factors are considered. The company has developed and maintained a high quality and innovative product offering driving strong growth in sales and profits over time. Product recalls, which can be a feature in the healthcare equipment industry, have fallen and it conducts regular supplier audits to maintain ethical practices.