Over the past three decades, C-Quadrat (CQ) Investment Group has earned a pioneering reputation for its quantitative asset management and ESG-driven investments. The group has also begun to make a name for itself as a conscientious manager of pension funds and alternative investments. The Vienna-headquartered group has an active presence in 21 countries and distributes products to institutional clients through wholesale channels in various markets. The group’s cofounder and CEO, Alexander Schütz, views responsible investing less as a competition and more of a mindset. CQ Investment Group has been setting up educational programmes in orphanages over the past 20 years. Once the programmes are in place, the group passes them to local organisations to operate. The group takes pride in its track record of commercial successes — and satisfaction in fulfilling its goal of giving back to society. The group is among the most socially active investment managers worldwide thanks to its role as a pioneer in the field of microfinance funds, ESG investment solutions and social activities in the area of support for children and young people from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds or regions. CQ Investment Group’s funds, products and strategies consistently rank among the best of their respective asset classes. When the firm first launched, it introduced Austria to a higher calibre of investment products than was previously available, bringing in big names like Morgan Stanley and Meryl Lynch. The CFI.co judging panel announces CQ Investment Group as the 2022 global award winner for Outstanding Contribution to Social Improvement.