Summary
This Sub-Fund is denominated in USD and invests its net assets primarily in worldwide hybrid securities, such as contingent convertible bonds or financial and non-financial subordinated debt.
It promotes environmental and social characteristics but does not have as its objective sustainable investment.
This Sub-Fund promotes social characteristics by supporting the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact through the exclusions of companies in breach of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).
This Sub-Fund promotes environmental characteristics by supporting transparent policies of corporate bond issuers towards a net-zero emission path.
A minimum of 50% of this Sub-Fund’s bond allocation will be invested in issuers deemed to maintain E/S characteristics as measured by MSCI ESG research, that is bearing an ESG rating equal or superior to BBB for developed markets issuers and equal or superior to BB for non-developed market issuers. In the absence of a rating from MSCI, an internal rating may be assigned by the Investment Manager.
The ESG approach starts with exclusions, in line with the Investment Manager’s Responsible Investment Policy. This is followed by ESG Integration: the issuer selection derives from the analysis of both environmental, social and governance (extra-financial) material factors and financial factors. . Finally, the Investment Manager prefers Green and Sustainability Bonds, subject to availability, liquidity, and relative value analysis.
The good governance practices are assessed alongside the environmental and social characteristics in the 2nd pillar of the ESG process described above.
ESG analysis covers at least 80% of the Sub-Fund's allocation to bonds.
This Sub-Fund invests at least 51% in bonds aligned with the environmental and social characteristics promoted by the strategy.
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, but not limited to, 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.
Engagement with investee companies may occur. It can be conducted collaboratively as well as directly by the Investment Manager.
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.
