Zalina Amalie Hansen, Sustainability Officer at If, has a clear goal for 2026 – to strengthen the engagement with the companies we invest in and support them in their journey towards more sustainable operations.
“It’s really nice to see the value we can bring just by reaching out”, says Zalina Amalie Hansen.
Climate change is a global concern that calls for immediate attention from all of us. We want to do our part and support the transition by working towards ambitious, science-based climate targets that align with the Paris Agreement. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation is an important milestone on that journey. If joined the SBTi in 2021, and our targets were validated in December 2023.
We are committed not only to setting targets but to actively working towards them.
The majority of If’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from our investment portfolio. That’s why we want to engage with the companies we invest in, to improve their sustainability work.
“We focus on the companies where our influence can have the greatest impact. That means addressing those with the highest exposure and the biggest potential to improve. Through a structured engagement framework, we prioritize where dialogue, support, and collaboration can drive meaningful change”, says Zalina Amalie Hansen, Sustainability Officer at If.
To understand where our efforts matter most, we assess the “temperature” of our investment portfolio based on validated temperature scores for our investee companies provided by an external service provider” A way of measuring how well companies’ climate ambitions align with global climate goals.
“Our investee companies are at different stages of their climate journey. To meet them where they are, we group them into different levels of climate maturity which allows us to tailor our engagement. It can be about encouraging new targets, supporting better data disclosure or helping companies restart their climate journey”, says Zalina.
In one pilot case, If engaged with a financial institution that had previously withdrawn its climate targets due to administrative burden. By opening a dialogue, understanding their challenges, and offering support, we were able to reframe the process as achievable and valuable.
Our approach is built on collaboration, both internally and externally. Close cooperation between our investment and sustainability teams ensures that engagement is strategic and impactful. “We also work alongside other investors, amplifying our voice and increasing our influence. Together, we can open doors, ask the right questions, and support companies in moving forward.
Engagement is about partnership – knocking on the door, listening and supporting change.” This collaborative mindset is also reflected in how we support our investee companies, helping them access the data they need, navigate frameworks and take practical steps towards their targets.
At the same time, we continue to evolve our strategy. Looking ahead, we will further strengthen our engagement approach, expanding dialogues, deepening relationships and integrating new focus areas such as biodiversity and value chain assessments.