UBS, the world’s leading wealth manager and sustainable investment manager, today announced that sustainable investments are now the firm’s preferred solution for private clients investing globally. Managing USD 488 billion in core sustainable assets, UBS is the first major global financial institution to make this recommendation.

While traditional investments will remain most suitable in some circumstances,UBS believes a 100% sustainable portfolio can deliver similar or higher returns compared to traditional investment portfolios and offer excellent diversification for clients investing globally. Year to date, major sustainable indices have performed better than traditional equivalents.

“The shift in preferences toward sustainable products and services is only just beginning,” said Iqbal Khan, Co-President of UBS Global Wealth Management. “We believe sustainable investments will prove to be one of the most exciting and durable opportunities for private clients in the years and decades ahead.”

“COVID-19 has put the exclamation point on one of the most important shifts in financial services in a generation,” said Tom Naratil, Co-President of UBS Global Wealth Management and President of UBS Americas. “The pandemic has brought the vulnerability and interconnected nature of our societies and industries to the forefront of investors’ minds and shown that sustainability considerations cannot be ignored.”

Ali Janoudi, Head of Middle East and Africa at UBS Global Wealth Management said: “Middle Eastern clients have expressed increasing interest in investing sustainably. Sustainable finance is firmly embedded in UBS’s strategy, and we believe this latest step can create new opportunities for investors in our region. “

With an early 25-year track record in sustainable investing, UBS’s award-winning team was the first to develop fully diversified sustainable portfolios, which have now been tested through both bull and bear markets.