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Specialist in Asia Pacific, Japan, China, India and South East Asia and Global Emerging Market equities.
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Specialists in equity portfolios in Asia Pacific, emerging markets, global and sustainable investment strategies
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Our philosophy is very simple. We are constantly searching for high quality businesses and when we acquire them, we will work relentlessly with them to create long-term sustainable value through innovation, ESG-led and proactive asset management.
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ESG/sustainability reporting (SFDR disclosures for Stewart Investors Article 9 Funds)
Sustainable investment objective
This information relates to the Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Leaders Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors European Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders Sustainability Fund and Stewart Investors Worldwide Sustainability Fund (the “Funds”)
The Funds listed above and shown below seek to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing in companies which both contribute to, and benefit from, sustainable development, achieving positive social and environmental sustainable outcomes.
Positive social sustainability outcomes include the enablement of improved health and wellbeing; access to income-generating and enterprise opportunities; fair employment and workplace safety; access to education and learning opportunities; communication and access to information; financial inclusion; sustainable transport and mobility; better access to housing, water, sanitation and electricity; and social inclusion and reduced inequality. Positive environmental sustainability outcomes include more careful, efficient and productive use of natural resources; reduced waste and improved waste management; the wider adoption of circular economy practices and measures; the adoption of renewable and cleaner energy technologies; reduced greenhouse gas emissions; reduced water, air and other environmental pollution; a slowing in the rate of land degradation, land use change and loss of forests and biodiversity; and measures and technologies that enable climate change adaptation and resilience. The Funds only invest in companies that are sustainable investments which contribute to a social and/or environmental objective. The contribution of the Funds' investments to the social and environmental objectives are assessed by reference to two framework indicators – the manager’s human development pillars and Project Drawdown climate change solutions. |
Human development pillars
The manager has determined 10 broad pillars which they believe encapsulate the essence of human development and which can be mapped to companies. Each investee company must be contributing in a tangible way to at least one of the following pillars: |
- Nutrition
- Healthcare and hygiene
- Water and sanitation
- Energy
- Housing
- Employment
- Finance
- Standard of living
- Education
- Information
Climate change solutions
Project Drawdown is a non-profit organisation, founded in 2014, which has mapped, measured and modelled over 80 different solutions to global warming, with the ultimate goal of reaching drawdown – i.e. the point in the future when emissions stop increasing and start to steadily decrease. Each Fund investment is mapped by the manager against the c.80 solutions (which are captured in eight broader solutions of Buildings, Circular economy / industry, Conservation / restoration, Energy, Food system, Human development, Transport and Water). The manager’s focus is on whether the companies themselves are making a meaningful contribution and will have meaningful involvement with the delivery of any of those solutions. Where the companies in which the Fund invests do contribute to any of the solutions, they will be involved in making products and delivering services directly, by enabling/supporting those solutions, or indirectly.
These frameworks, alongside the manager’s own bottom-up analysis, lean on measurable and reportable outcomes as evidence for determining a company’s meaningful contribution to sustainable development.
Meaningful company contribution:
- Demonstrates a clear link to the underlying issue and solution, including whether the contribution is direct, enabling/supporting or indirect.
- Is relevant for the company either as a revenue/growth driver, as strategic initiatives backed by research and development or capital expenditure, or a function of strong culture or behaviours and ‘how they do things’ e.g. for equality and diversity.
- Recognises negative impacts from the company, including contradictions and risks of perverse outcomes.
How did the sustainability indicators perform?
Companies can contribute in many different ways to a better future for people and planet. To align with their bottom-up investment approach, the manager provides descriptions on their website, via their interactive Portfolio Explorer tool, on how they believe each company is contributing towards sustainable development.
Users can explore the stories of individual companies organised by the diverse contributions they make including towards human development pillars and climate solutions. This information is updated on a quarterly basis.
Fund level reporting to 30 June 2022
Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Leaders Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 43 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 122 pillars.
- 28 companies (65%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 26 different solutions and 84 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 61 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 164 pillars.
- 39 companies (64%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 32 different solutions and 113 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors European Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 41 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 97 pillars.
- 30 companies (73%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 34 different solutions and 94 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 44 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 126 pillars.
- 27 companies (61%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 26 different solutions and 68 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 54 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 147 pillars.
- 32 companies (59%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 30 different solutions and 79 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 39 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 99 pillars.
- 29 companies (74%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 29 different solutions and 81 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Stewart Investors Worldwide Sustainability Fund
- As at 30 June 2022, the Fund held 47 companies.
- All companies (100%) were contributing to at least one human development pillar and, in total, companies were contributing towards 108 pillars.
- 33 companies (70%) were contributing towards climate change solutions. These companies were contributing towards 31 different solutions and 90 solutions in total.
The social and environmental outcomes for the Fund are provided in the charts below.
Source for analysis and mapping: Stewart Investors investment team, company data and © 2014–2022 Project Drawdown (drawdown.org) as at 30 June 2022.
Contributions are defined by the team as demonstrable contributions to any solution or pillar, either direct (directly attributable to products, services or practices provided by that company), enabling (supported or made possible by products or technologies provided by that company) or indirectly (companies that are involved in and around the solution). Indirect contributions are relevant for climate solutions only. More information is available on the manager’s website - stewartinvestors.com/all/sustainable-funds-group/introducing-portfolio-explorer/portfolio-explorer.
Glossary
Sustainable investment means an investment in an economic activity that contributes to an environmental or social objective, provided that the investment does not significantly harm any environmental or social objective and that the investee companies follow good governance practices.
Sustainability indicators measure how the environmental or social characteristics promoted by the financial product are attained.
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Copyright © First Sentier Investors (Australia) Services Pty Ltd 2022, (part of First Sentier Investors, a global asset management business. First Sentier Investors is ultimately owned by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc MUFG.)
In the EU: This is a marketing communication. The fund(s) mentioned here may or may not be registered for marketing to investors in your location. If registered, marketing may cease or be terminated in accordance with the terms of the EU Cross Border Distribution Framework. Copies of the prospectus (in English and German) and key investor information documents in English, German, French, Danish, Spanish, Swedish, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish, along with a summary of investors' rights are available free of charge at firstsentierinvestors.com