Zurich has been named Investor of the year (asset owner) at this year's Sustainable Debt Awards.

Its fixed income investments form the majority of the insurer's impact investment portfolio – representing $7.5 billion in green, social and sustainability bonds, of a broader $8.5 billion impact portfolio.

In the past year, its impact investing portfolio has avoided 3.9 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, it claimed in its submission.

Zurich's impact framework methodology examines the impact created from the investment, in proportion to Zurich's share of the investment and based on reports from the issuers. The open-source methodologies are published on its website and outlines how Zurich assesses and tracks the environmental and social impact of its investments, especially in areas like climate change, resilience and sustainable development.

Prior to investment, project developers must be committed to report yearly on the impact of the projects to which the funds are allocated, Zurich determines.

Last year, Zurich was also re-elected as an executive committee member of the Green Bond Principles. The judges of this award made note of Zurich's "great credentials".