Build to Last.
Our Sustainability Approach.

WHAT OUR EXPERTS THINK

“Sustainability won’t be delivered by box-ticking or good intentions — it will be built by founders who are rewiring how the real economy works. Our mission is to design an environment where responsible innovation is the default, not the exception. At Cathay Innovation, we’ve engineered a global network where technology, purpose, and scale collide to create solutions that industries can’t ignore and the planet can’t wait for.”

Matthieu van der Elst,

Chief Impact Officer

Profile

Our Framework.

Developed with PwC and Sirsa (Reporting21), our sustainability framework integrates ESG and impact into every step of the investment lifecycle—from diligence to exit. It helps assess economic and social outcomes, guide responsible practices and embed sustainability into governance and operations. These standardized processes and tools can be applied not only to startups, but across our corporate ecosystem —activating sustainable transformation at scale.

Explore the full framework and methodology in our annual Sustainability & Impact Reports.

PHASE 1

Acquisition

  • Exclusion list
  • Sustainability screening performed by investment team
  • For select companies, sustainability due diligence is conducted during acquisition or within 6 months of making an investment. This includes defining a roadmap for the integration of sustainable practices
  • When the context allows it, a sustainability clause is included in the shareholder agreement, building on the impact KPIs clause
PHASE 2

Holding

  • Annual assessment through the ESG risk assessment tool, climate screening tool and impact scoring tool
  • For high ESG risk companies, annual follow-up reviews track the implementation of action plan
  • Annual reporting of sustainability KPIs through Reporting 21
  • Annual Cathay Board / executive-level review of aggregated portfolio sustainability positioning and KPIs
  • Resource Hub for sharing best practices
PHASE 3

Exit

The metric-based performance track record is used to demonstrate sustainability performance, when relevant, during exits or future fundraising rounds

Global Alignment

We are constantly evolving our framework to align with globally recognized standards and tools:

UN Sustainable
Development Goals

(SDGs)

Impact Management Project

frame for impact objectives

(IMP)

UN Principles for
Responsible Investment

Signatory since 2021

(PRI)

OECD Guidelines

responsible business conduct

(OECD)

Sustainable Finance
Disclosure Regulation

Article 8+ fund

(SFDR)

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

climate risk integration

(TCFD)

Impact Themes

We invest in technologies enabling more sustainable outcomes in:

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IMPACT THEME 1

Responsible Finance

Inclusive, transparent, and accessible models

IMPACT THEME 2

Healthcare

Advancing care across the value chain, from research to treatment and long-term monitoring.

IMPACT THEME 3

Green Mobility & Energy

Accelerating the transition to low-carbon transport and sustainable energy systems.

IMPACT THEME 4

Next-Gen Commerce

Transforming consumer experiences while enabling more sustainable, circular consumption models.

IMPACT THEME 5

Tech & Digital

Developing software and hardware solutions to tackle critical societal and environmental challenges.

Impact Stats

10M

People accessing credit

with FinAccel

50M+

Litres of water saved

with Reebelo

1.6M

Tons of CO2 saved since inception

with WallBox

58M

Patients accessing affordable healthcare

with Yuanbao

700+

Firms insured for climate and cyber risks

with Descartes Underwriting

Resources & Reports

Explore our latest reports and practical tools:

SUSTAINABILITY & IMPACT REPORTS

2024–2025 Report

Read the Report

2022–2023 Report

Read the Report

2021–2022 Report

Read the Report

2020–2021 Report

Read the Report
IMPACT RESOURCE HUB

Our ESG & Impact Resource Hub offers practical guidance for portfolio companies — covering topics like climate action, diversity & inclusion, HR, data governance, and more.

Request access to the Resource Hub