This Sub-Fund invests primarily in US equities that represent the Investment Manager’s philosophy of Quality at a Reasonable Price to build a high-quality portfolio, without paying an excessive valuation premium.
It promotes environmental and social characteristics but does not have as its objective sustainable investment.
The Investment Manager defines Quality as companies with an optimal mix of six key factors: high quality management, consistent profitability, strong franchises, financial strength, favourable business drivers and strong environmental, social & governance (ESG) characteristics.
The environmental and social characteristics promoted by the Sub-Fund are measured relative to its reference index (S&P 500) and include:
- Better ESG practices, as measured by the portfolio’s higher ESG Quality Score
- Lower weighted average carbon intensity
- Respect of sound business practices as defined by the Ten principles of the UN Global Compact
The index is a standard reference representing the Sub-Fund’s universe but is not aligned with the environmental characteristics promoted by this Sub-Fund.
The Investment Manager takes into consideration and seeks to minimize the following potential principal adverse impacts of its investments: 1) GHG Intensity of Investee Companies, 2) Violations of UN Global Compact principles and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and 3) Exposure to Controversial Weapons.
The ESG approach is embedded in the investment process of this Sub-Fund as the Investment Manager believes that integrating ESG factors will deliver superior long term returns to investors. ESG considerations can be important drivers or risks associated with an investment and its ability to maintain or improve the Quality of their business and ultimately their returns. The Investment Manager believes that as a steward of investors’ capital, active ownership and engagement is paramount to the success of investments and is in the best interests of the Sub-Fund’s shareholders.
This Sub-Fund intends to have a minimum of 90% of its assets aligned with the environmental and social characteristics promoted.
The binding criteria used to attain each of the environmental and/or social characteristics promoted by the Sub-Fund are integrated in control systems, to ensure pre- and post trade checks. Compliance is monitored by the Risk department on an ongoing basis.
The Investment Manager may use data reported directly by issuers or sourced from third-party data providers such as MSCI ESG Research or Sustainalytics. The service and data quality provided by third-party ESG data providers are reviewed regularly.
Depending on the metric considered, some data may be estimated by data providers. Although the Investment Manager applies a thorough selection process of third-party providers, their processes and proprietary ESG methodology may be flawed. As a result, there is a risk of incorrectly assessing an issuer, resulting in an inappropriate capture of ESG risks and potential incorrect inclusion or exclusion in the product. This is expected to have limited impact on the overall environmental and/or social characteristics promoted by the product.
The investment due diligence process ensures that the investment decisions comply with the objectives and the investment strategy of the Sub-Fund. The consideration of sustainability-related risks is integrated into the investment decision-making process to ensure better-informed investment decisions as well as awareness of the risk exposure. The first level of due diligence is conducted by the Investment Manager, while the second level is conducted by the Risk department.
The Investment Manager engages with investee companies directly and, in some cases, collaboratively with other investors.
The Investment Manager exercises its voting rights, in line with the voting policy which follows sustainability principles.
No reference benchmark has been designated for the purpose of attaining the environmental or social characteristics promoted by this Sub-Fund.
For more information, please see the fund’s Sustainability-related disclosures.
