Part of the management fees of a dedicated share class of the Clartan-Ethos ESG Europe Small & Mid Cap fund to finance the Association de la Vallée de la Millière. Created by the famous French photographer Yann Arthus Bertrand, this association aims to rewild a 28-hectare estate on the outskirts of Paris.
The Vallée de la Millière is a special place, a haven of peace less than an hour away from Paris and its ring road. This was Yann Arthus Bertrand's main objective when he took over the 28-hectare estate in 2020: to ensure that the animals could roam freely without negative interference from humans. Since then, the famous photographer, together with his son Tom and a small team of enthusiasts, has been working to rewild the land where he spent part of his childhood, in keeping with his motto: "Taking action makes you happy".
A scientific and educational project
This work is being carried out with some success, since according to the observations made in the field and the monitoring carried out by an environmental scientist, the number of insects present in the Vallée de la Millière, which was once an area of intensive farming, has already increased by 20% in four years.
On the edge of this area ‘returned’ to nature, Tom Arthus Bertrand has created another equally unique site: le Jardin des Partages. Inspired by the principles of permaculture, this garden is a model of sustainable development. It aims to highlight the urgent need to preserve and enhance biodiversity, while gathering essential data to develop more sustainable agricultural practices and promote environmentally friendly alternatives. For the past few months, it has been open to schools, businesses, nature lovers and plant enthusiasts.
Double impact
From now on, Clartan Associés and Ethos will contribute to the preservation of the site and its biodiversity. A new class of the ‘Clartan-Ethos ESG Europe Small & Mid Cap’ fund, opened in the form of a ‘fonds de partage’ as it is known in France, a special vehicle designed to redistribute part of the management fees directly to the Association de la Vallée de la Millière to help finance the project and the teams on site. In other words, investors who subscribe to this class contribute to the financing of the Association chaired by Yann Arthus Bertrand and, in turn, to the preservation of the Valley.
The idea came from Clartan Associés, whose chairman, Jean-Baptiste Chaumet, is also a native of the region. “Our starting point was: what are we doing for the planet? A major biodiversity and rewilding project sparked our interest, and we wanted to get involved”, explains Jean Baptiste Chaumet.
For Ethos, this approach is in line with the fund’s purpose. “Its goal is to invest in companies whose products and services have a positive social or environmental impact,” explains Vincent Kaufmann, CEO of Ethos. “By contributing to the Vallée de la Millière project, investors will have a double impact, both through their investments and by supporting Yann Arthus Bertrand's vision and project.”
Created in September 2020, the Clartan-Ethos equity fund invests in European small and mid-caps that manage their ESG issues with conviction. It is aimed at institutional and private investors wishing to seize the significant performance potential of these companies while investing in a sustainable and responsible manner.
