GLS Investments

What GLS Investments does

GLS Investment Management GmbH (commercially "GLS Investments") is a BaFin-regulated asset manager that develops and manages sustainable public and alternative investment funds. Founded in 2021 as a 100% subsidiary of GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG through a spin-off from the parent cooperative bank, the firm is headquartered in Bochum, Germany and operates a team of more than 40 specialists spanning sustainability research, product development, controlling, risk management, and engagement. As of 2025-2026 it manages approximately 1.6-1.7 billion EUR across nine public funds (equity, bond, climate, green-bond, income, microfinance, and child-rights-focused vehicles) and one newly launched ELTIF for renewable energy infrastructure. All investments pass through the proprietary "GLS Auswahlprozess" — a multi-step selection process combining exclusion and positive criteria, internal sustainability analysis, and external review by independent Anlageausschuss, Anlagebeirat, Nachhaltigkeitsbeirat, and Engagement Council bodies.

The firm's revenue model is asset-based: ongoing management fees on AUM (the figure is publicly undisclosed), supplemented by entry loads of up to 3% and structured share classes (AK A retail, AK B institutional). Fund administration is outsourced to Universal Investment (most public funds) and IPConcept (Mikrofinanzfonds and ELTIF). Distribution follows a B2B2C motion: products reach end-investors primarily through the GLS Bank branch network, a network of partner banks cultivated by a dedicated Bankvertrieb specialist, and investment advisors/wealth managers served via webinars and a professional-investor newsletter. Retail clients of GLS Bank and external professional investors form the two primary customer segments, with no reported US-person investor base due to jurisdictional restrictions.

Operationally, GLS Investments is differentiated less by technology (the website uses open-source Matomo analytics and no proprietary tech platform) than by its social-ecological investment methodology, multi-stakeholder governance ecosystem (including partnerships with SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit, BAUM e.V., Green Growth Futura, Frankfurt School Impact Finance, and SozialBank), transparency corpus (Wirkbericht, Anlagegrundsätze, engagement reports), and brand association with the GLS Bank's pioneering role in German ethical banking. In fiscal year 2025 the firm executed 106.6 million EUR in sustainable bond new issues, 3.19 million EUR in capital increases, 68.03 million EUR in Global South microfinance loans, and initiated 60 corporate engagement dialogues while excluding 7 companies from the investment universe.

Name

GLS Investments

Legal name

GLS Investment Management GmbH

Website

https://gls-investments.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

GLS Investment Management GmbH is a BaFin-regulated sustainable fund manager and 100% subsidiary of GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG, managing approximately 1.6-1.7 billion EUR across nine public funds plus an ELTIF for professional investors, partner banks, and GLS Bank retail clients across DACH.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Asset Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Open-End Investment Funds (52591), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

ESG/SRI/Impact Mutual Funds (FSAAAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Renewable Energy & Energy Transition Funds (FSANAJAB), Energy & Power Infrastructure Funds (Generation, Transmission, Storage) (FSANAEAB), Sustainable/ESG Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAM)

Keywords

• Sustainable asset management
• ESG investment funds
• Microfinance fund investing
• Green bond funds
• Impact investing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Bochum

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fund Management / Advisory Fees: GLS Investments generates revenue through management fees charged on assets under management across its fund range (equity funds, bond funds, microfinance fund, ELTIF, and others). These are ongoing fees expressed as a percentage of AUM, collected through fund administration partners (Universal Investment, IPConcept). Entry loads of up to 3% are referenced in the legal disclaimers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GLS Investments manages sustainable public investment funds across equity, bond, microfinance, and energy infrastructure asset classes. The company applies a multi-step social-ecological investment selection process governed by exclusion and positive criteria, with independent external expert committees reviewing title inclusion. Total assets under management exceed EUR 1.6 billion across 9 public funds plus a recently launched ELTIF for renewable energy infrastructure.

Product overview

GLS Investments is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG and serves as a quality leader in sustainable public investment funds. The company manages a portfolio of nine named investment funds totaling approximately EUR 1.6–1.7 billion in assets under management. The fund lineup comprises equity funds (GLS Bank Aktienfonds, BAUM Fair Future Fonds), bond funds (GLS Bank Rentenfonds, SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Ertrag, SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Green Bonds), a climate-focused fund (GLS Bank Klimafonds), a microfinance fund (GLS AI Mikrofinanzfonds), a children-focused fund (Kinder Perspektivenfonds), and a new energy infrastructure fund (GLS ELTIF). All funds are governed by the GLS multi-step investment selection process based on social-ecological exclusion and positive criteria, with independent external expert committees deciding on title inclusion. Certain funds carry additional specialized criteria (climate criteria for the Klimafonds, child-rights criteria for the Kinder Perspektivenfonds, microfinance-specific criteria for the Mikrofinanzfonds, and Green Growth Futura-managed research for the BAUM Fair Future Fonds). Some funds also include a donation component supporting social-ecological projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GLS Bank Aktienfonds A sustainable equity fund investing in companies that pursue sustainable, human-centered, and forward-looking goals, governed by GLS social-ecological investment criteria.
• GLS Bank Klimafonds A fund focused on issuers making a positive contribution to climate protection, with additional climate-specific screening criteria applied beyond the standard GLS investment principles.
• GLS Bank Rentenfonds A sustainable bond fund investing in bonds from issuers that meet GLS social-ecological investment criteria.
• GLS AI Mikrofinanzfonds An alternative investment fund providing loans to microfinance institutions in the Global South, supporting financial inclusion with specialized social and environmental criteria and a Technical Assistance program.
• BAUM Fair Future Fonds An equity fund investing in small and medium-sized European companies developing solutions for social-ecological transformation, with sustainability research conducted by partner Green Growth Futura and overseen by a dedicated Nachhaltigkeitsbeirat.
• Kinder Perspektivenfonds A fund investing in issuers that strengthen the rights of children and youth globally, with child-rights-focused screening criteria and oversight by the Engagement Council under the leadership of SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit.
• SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Ertrag A sustainability-focused income fund investing in bonds and securities from issuers aligned with social-ecological criteria, co-branded with SozialBank.
• SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Green Bonds A fund investing specifically in green bonds that finance environmentally sustainable projects and initiatives, co-branded with SozialBank.
• GLS ELTIF – Energieinfrastruktur Fonds A European Long-Term Investment Fund enabling direct investments in renewable energy infrastructure projects such as wind and solar parks to strengthen Europe's energy infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.6+ billion EUR in sustainable assets under management across 9+ funds
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Green Growth Futura GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreen Growth Futura serves as the strategic research partner for the BAUM Fair Future Fonds. It conducts the multi-step sustainability research process for the fund's investment universe, coordinates the independent Nachhaltigkeitsbeirat (sustainability advisory board), and organizes the expert review process. The partnership is integral to the fund's rigorous ESG selection methodology.
• BAUM e.V. (Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für UmOrientierung)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAUM e.V. is a co-development partner of the BAUM Fair Future Fonds, contributing its expertise in sustainable economics. The fund carries the BAUM name and benefits from BAUM's network of sustainability experts and its Nachhaltigkeitskodex (BAUM Kodex für nachhaltiges Wirtschaften).
• SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit leads the Engagement Council for the Kinder Perspektivenfonds. The Engagement Council is responsible for advocacy for sustainable financial flows, consulting on additional sustainability criteria, and continuous evaluation of fund selection criteria. The partnership ensures child rights expertise is embedded in the fund's investment process.
• Frankfurt School Impact Finance (FS Impact Finance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrankfurt School Impact Finance co-developed the Technical Assistance Program for the GLS AI Mikrofinanzfonds. The program provides certified training modules to employees of microfinance institutions invested by the fund, including essay competitions and knowledge exchange. In 2021, the partnership marked its fourth consecutive year of offering specialized microfinance training programs.
• Universal InvestmentcoreTechnology or IntegrationUniversal Investment serves as the fund administration and management platform for several GLS Investment funds (GLS Bank Aktienfonds, GLS Bank Klimafonds, GLS Bank Rentenfonds, BAUM Fair Future Fonds, Kinder Perspektivenfonds, SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Ertrag, and SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Green Bonds). It provides the fund infrastructure, prospectus management, factsheet generation, and regulatory reporting.
• IPConceptcoreTechnology or IntegrationIPConcept (part of DekaGruppe) serves as the fund administration platform for the GLS AI Mikrofinanzfonds and the GLS ELTIF – Energieinfrastruktur Fonds. It manages fund documentation, prospectus hosting, and regulatory filings for these alternative investment funds.
• SozialBank (Bank für Sozialwirtschaft AG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSozialBank co-brands two GLS-managed funds: the SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Ertrag and the SozialBank Nachhaltigkeitsfonds Green Bonds. These funds are administered by Universal Investment and distributed through SozialBank's network of social economy clients.
• FS Impact Finance (Frankfurt School of Finance & Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFS Impact Finance (an initiative of Frankfurt School of Finance & Management) provides the educational content and certification for the Technical Assistance Program of the GLS AI Mikrofinanzfonds. It delivers digital training modules to microfinance institution employees and coordinates essay competitions on microfinance topics.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Allianz Global Investors: Allianz Global Investors is a large global asset manager with an established sustainable investing franchise (e.g., Allianz Positive Change, Allianz Green Bond). Comparable as a broad incumbent offering sustainable funds across regions, though significantly larger and more diversified than GLS Investments.
• Amundi: Amundi is Europe's largest asset manager with one of the industry's broadest ESG fund ranges across asset classes, distributed globally. Comparable as a broad ESG incumbent targeting European retail and institutional investors, though Amundi's portfolio also includes non-sustainable funds.
• DWS Group: DWS is one of Europe's largest asset managers with a broad ESG fund family (DWS ESG, Xtrackers ESG) covering equities, bonds, and ETFs. Comparable as a German-headquartered incumbent competing for the same investor pool, but at vastly greater scale and with a broader product mandate.
• Pictet Asset Management: Pictet Asset Management is the asset management arm of the Swiss Pictet Group with strong thematic/sustainable franchises (Pictet Quest, water, climate, biodiversity strategies). Comparable as a European private-bank-affiliated manager with deep sustainability and thematic offerings, but materially larger and more global.

Direct peers

• Deka Investment (Deka Group): Deka Investment is the asset management arm of the German Sparkassen group and parent of IPConcept — the fund administration platform that services GLS Investments' alternative funds (Mikrofinanzfonds, ELTIF). Highly comparable as a large German fund manager with sustainability offerings and the same regional distribution backbone.
• Triodos Investment Management: Triodos IM is the investment management arm of Triodos Bank, offering sustainable funds across equities, bonds, and impact strategies. Like GLS Investments, it is bank-affiliated, ethics-led, and applies strict sustainability screening — directly comparable in mission and product architecture.
• Swisscanto Invest (by Zürcher Kantonalbank): Swisscanto Invest is the asset management arm of Zürcher Kantonalbank, running a large family of sustainable and conventional funds with strong ESG screening traditions. Comparable as a bank-affiliated fund manager in the DACH region with a dedicated sustainable product line.
• ÖkoWorld Lux S.A. ÖkoWorld is a German-anchored, independent asset manager specializing exclusively in sustainable and ecological investment funds across equities and mixed assets. It is the closest comparable pure-play ESG fund boutique in the German market, with similar thematic product focus and retail/advisor distribution.
• Union Investment: Union Investment is one of Germany's largest fund managers, with a substantial sustainable and ESG fund range distributed via the cooperative Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken network. Directly comparable in terms of fund offering, German-language distribution model, and ESG positioning, though at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Flossbach von Storch: Flossbach von Storch is an independent German asset manager with multiple sustainable and broadly diversified funds, primarily distributed in Germany and Austria. Comparable as a German mid-sized manager with sustainability-considered offerings and a strong DACH retail/institutional presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gls-investment-management-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GLS Investments