Brussels-based Candriam attributes a large part of its record growth in assets under management in 2021 to its stable of sustainability-focused strategies.

Candriam's range of ESG-related products and strategies, including its range of thematic equity strategies, "have proven very popular," and a large part of the business' net new sales from the 12 months to March 2021 came from products or mandates with an ESG angle, it said.

Candriam's AUM dedicated to these ESG-related products and strategies has now reached €105 billion, accounting for 67% of total AUM.

This came as its overall AUM grew to about €158 billion at the end of 2021 – an increase of €18 billion from its total a year earlier.

It said this was also the result of its strengthened focus on global financial institutions and the insurance segment, and investment in its private asset capabilities.

The asset manager was also a keen proponent of active ownership. It participated in 2,060 meetings with portfolio companies and voted on 26,605 resolutions last year.

It was involved in 18 new collaborative initiatives during the year, including launching an initiative prioritising human rights in relation to facial recognition technology. Investors were invited to sign the Investor Statement of Facial Recognition, which was welcomed by the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment. 50 investors representing more than $4.5 trillion in AUM became signatories.

Candriam's positive impact strategies, meanwhile, include an oncology strategy investing in listed companies that develop products and services for the treatment of cancer. It had AUM of about $2 billion.

It also last year became a signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative.