OREANDA-NEWS. Under the sponsorship of AXA, CalPERS, SCOR, and AMP Capital, the world’s 1st global Investor Statement, signed by more than 50 companies, will be issued. In conjunction with the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, the goal of this statement is to support the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework on tobacco control and governments in their action.

Smoking kills approximately 7 million people a year, according to WHO – 1 person every 5 seconds. It also has a massive economic cost, estimated at $1 trillion a year, far outweighing revenues from taxes (estimated $263bn).