Nigel Wilson, the chief executive of Legal & General, called for the finance sector to get behind efforts to tackle climate change as he presented a strong set of annual results.

Wilson said that L&G recorded a 12% uptick in operating profits and healthy inflows into its pensions and asset management businesses. This year, the company will add climate change to its list of strategic “growth drivers” and aims to profit from investments in renewable energy in particular, he said.