>Dominique Blanchard, chair of the Investment Committee

AVENA recently decided to invest some of its assets in sustainability-themed investments. Why this change in investment strategy?

I wouldn’t say it’s a change – it’s more that our strategy has evolved. Over the past few years, we’ve been taking steps towards something that we consider to be a long-term shift rather than a fleeting fad. In 2022, for instance, we commissioned an assessment of our portfolio based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria as part of our approach to socially responsible investing. We were awarded an A– rating on the basis of that assessment. And with our recent decision to add sustainability-themed investments, we are going one step further and taking a more active approach to how we manage part of our portfolio. 

How did you decide how much to allocate to these investments?

The decision will affect just 3–4% of our assets under management. Our aim is to play an active role in the transition towards a more responsible and sustainable economy, while also fulfilling our duty to manage our members’ retirement savings responsibly over the long term.

Which approach will you take for these investments?

With our ESG strategy, which we developed together with BCV, our main asset manager, we have so far prioritized approaches that seek to mitigate any adverse impacts of our investments. These include approaches such as negative screening, which involves excluding investments in companies or themes deemed incompatible with certain norms or values, such as coal or pornography, and reducing the portfolio’s exposure to fossil fuels. By introducing thematic investments, we are looking to increase our positive impact. We will do this investing in companies that offer solutions that contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This could include companies operating in areas such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, education, and poverty reduction.

Does this move affect the Fund’s overall portfolio management strategy in any way?

Our portfolio management strategy is guided by a long-term vision and a quest for stability, which helps to ensure we don’t get sidetracked by fleeting trends or fads. By allocating some of our assets to sustainability-themed investments, we aren’t changing that strategy – we’re simply moving forward with it. 

What does this mean for the Fund’s members?

With this move, our aim is to diversify our investments in order to manage risks. Diversifying in this way also helps us to make our portfolio more resilient in today’s complex environment, which we will continue to analyze. Going forward, any decision we make will be based – as it always has been – on a holistic analysis of how best to allocate our assets. Here, our aim is to deliver the returns needed to manage our Fund effectively and to ensure our members enjoy a top-notch retirement.
 

Understanding your pension certificate

What’s a pension certificate?

A pension certificate is an overview of your personal pension coverage. It includes: 

• your member information
• your salary information
• your and your employer’s contributions
• your insured benefits
• your pension savings
• your retirement benefits
• general information (withdrawal amount available to buy a home, maximum possible voluntary contribution, etc.)
  
   

Where can I get my certificate? 

Directly from your Occupational Pension Cockpit. 

In addition to getting your certificate there, you can view your member information, carry out simulations (voluntary contributions, retirement, etc.) and contact your pension fund manager directly.
If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact us using the form below.
 

Find out more:

Information bulletin (FR):
Télécharger la notice au format pdf

Article (FR): 
Comment décoder son certificat de prévoyance | PME

Videos (FR) :
Comment lire son certificat de prévoyance? Vidéo du 16 mars 2022
Comment lire son certificat de prévoyance? Vidéo du 19 avril 2023

Link to FAQ: 
FAQ | Avena Fondation BCV 2e pilier

2024 financial results

At end-2024, AVENA’s funded status was 109.1% (unaudited) and its net return was 7.92%.

The Fund’s total assets stood at CHF 2.9bn.

Presentation from our December information session

AVENA held an evening information session on Tuesday, 3 December 2024, at Aquatis. Our experts addressed a number of questions, including:

• What will my major expenses be over the next 15 years?
• How large of a pension will I need when I retire? Will my pension benefits enable me to maintain my desired standard of living, as set out in my budget ?
• How do inheritance and tax concerns figure in?
• When should I contact my AVS fund, my employer, and my pension fund?
• What should I do with my pillar 3 accounts

Panelists:
Francis Bouvier, director of AVENA 
Olivier Reymond, pension fund specialist at BCV

Moderator:
Alain Jeannet, former editor-in-chief of L’Hebdo
 

AVENA’s Pension Board has decided to pay an interest rate of 3.25% on all savings capital for 2024. That’s the maximum percentage permitted by law, and it brings our funded status to an estimated 109.4%.

This level of remuneration is significantly higher than the legal minimum (1.25%), and our insured members will see the boost in their retirement savings.

The annual interest paid by the Fund is just the tip of the iceberg – it’s the most visible result of a series of measures underpinning AVENA’s ongoing solidity.

The Pension Board is unanimous in its belief that this strategy will produce better long-term results while safeguarding the Fund’s future.

Watch the video (french) and download the presentation below (english)
AVENA held an evening information session on 5 November 2024 at the Royal Savoy hotel and livestreamed it via LiveChat. Our experts covered a number of topics, including:

•    What is a voluntary contribution and how does it help me?
•    Can I use my pension assets to buy or renovate a home?
•    How does AVENA manage my pension savings? What does the fund invest in?
•    What key information is in my pension statement?
•    When do I have to decide whether I receive my retirement benefits as a lump sum or a monthly pension?

Panelists:
Francis Bouvier, director of AVENA 
Olivier Reymond, pension fund specialist at BCV

Moderator:
Alain Jeannet, former editor-in-chief of L’Hebdo
 

>Delphine Saleres-Deney, CFO, Garden Center Schilliger

Why did you want to join the Pension Board?

First off, I’m deeply invested in the idea of ensuring a stable and secure financial future for the coming generations. And I’m passionate about anything that has to do with social responsibility, sustainable development, and equitable treatment. I saw joining AVENA’s Pension Board as an opportunity to contribute directly to that mission. Drawing on my skills and my 20 years of professional experience, I hope to contribute to the strategic decisions needed to safeguard the future of retirement. I also come with some background in occupational pensions, having served as an employee representative with my previous employer’s pension fund. 

What is your role on the Board?

Besides participating in Board meetings, I sit on the Marketing and Communications Committee and the Real Estate Committee. One of my responsibilities as a Board member is to help develop and oversee the investment policy, ensuring that it’s in line with the Fund’s long-term goals. In addition, I’m involved in assessing risks and opportunities and in monitoring the overall performance of the Fund’s investments. In that capacity, I work to represent the interests of all of our members and to ensure everyone enjoys equal treatment.

What challenges is the Board facing right now?

One of our major challenges will be navigating an investment environment that’s constantly changing – identifying and seizing opportunities while also mitigating risks. In that regard, I’m particularly mindful of the policy we’ve adopted with regard to responsible investing and, in particular, to the incorporation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria in the Fund’s investments. We’ll also need to remain vigilant because of economic and regulatory challenges on the horizon that could affect AVENA’s financial stability. I’ll give you an example: real estate. We need to ensure that our real-estate portfolio is in line with our sustainability commitments and that it complies with the law – which continues to evolve.

Where do you see AVENA in ten years?

In ten years, I see AVENA as a leader in the occupational pension sector, as a pension fund known for its careful, innovative investment management as well as for its solid performance. That’s why it’s so important to implement a responsible investment strategy today – so that we can safeguard the future of tomorrow’s retirees. I’m also convinced that we will have continued to expand our sphere of influence and our impact by offering high-quality pension solutions to a growing number of members.