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At AlbaCore, we focus on the long-term. As one of Europe’s leading alternative credit specialists, we invest in private capital solutions, opportunistic and dislocated credit, and structured products. 

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Specialist in Asia Pacific, Japan, China, India and South East Asia and Global Emerging Market equities.

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Leader in active quantitative equities across Australian equities, global equities, emerging markets and global small companies.

Backed by a unique blend of research, portfolio construction and risk management, focused on uncovering original insights and translating them into investment strategies that are active and systematic, aiming to generate alpha.

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Specialists in equity portfolios in Asia Pacific, emerging markets, global and sustainable investment strategies

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Fund reporting

These Funds 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.

ESG Sustainability reporting

This information relates to the Stewart Investors Asia Pacific and Japan Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Leaders Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Indian Subcontinent Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors European (ex UK) Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Sustainability Fund, Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders Fund, Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders Sustainability Fund and Stewart Investors Worldwide Sustainability Fund (the “Funds”)

The Funds listed above and shown below pursue responsible or sustainable investment strategies and/or pursue ESG/sustainability characteristics, themes or outcomes. For these Funds, we aim to make information readily available on how well the Fund is meeting its stated objectives on an ongoing basis to enable investors to monitor whether their expectations are being met. The regulatory environment for these types of funds is rapidly developing and we expect our disclosures to develop over time in light of the changing regulatory landscape.

These Funds 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. All investee companies contribute to improving human development, while many also contribute to positive environmental outcomes.

The contribution of the Funds’ investments to the social and environmental outcomes are assessed by reference to two frameworks described below.

Positive social outcomes

We assess positive social outcomes by reference to the below human development pillars. The investment manager developed these human development pillars, by reference to, amongst other things, the UN Human Development Index.

  • Health and well-being – improved access to and affordability of nutrition, healthcare and hygiene, water and sanitation
  • Physical infrastructure – improved access to and affordability of energy and housing
  • Economic welfare – safe employment offering a living wage and opportunities for advancement, access to finance and improved standards of living
  • Opportunity and empowerment – improved access to and affordability of education and information technology

Visit the Portfolio Explorer tool to find out more about the pillars and the diverse contributions companies are making to human development.

Positive environmental outcomes

The Investment Manager assess positive environmental outcomes by reference to the climate solutions developed by Project Drawdown* a non-profit organisation that has mapped, measured and modelled over 90 different climate solutions that it believes will contribute to reaching ‘drawdown’, i.e. the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline.

Below is a list of climate solutions together with corresponding examples we believe lead to positive environmental outcomes:

  1. Food system - Sustainable farming, food production and distribution of food-related products and services
  2. Energy - adoption of renewable energy and other clean energy and related technologies
  3. Circular economy and industries - improved efficiency, reduced waste, and new business models for closing resource loops in linear value chains and production processes
  4. Human development - Advancement of human rights and education that drive environmental conservation and sustainable use of resources
  5. Transport - efficient transport technologies and growth in fossil fuel free transportation options
  6. Buildings - products and services which reduce the environmental footprint of the built environment, including energy efficiency, electrification, improved design, and use of alternative materials
  7. Water - less energy intensive methods for treating, transporting and heating water
  8. Conservation and restoration - supporting deforestation free and environmentally regenerative supply chains, operations and end of life impacts

Company contribution assessment:

In assessing whether a company ‘contributes to, and benefits from’ sustainable development, the investment manager will consider whether:

  • there is either a direct or enabling** link between the activities of the company and the achievement of a positive social or environmental outcome;
  • the company can benefit from any contribution to positive social or environmental outcomes through revenue or growth drivers inherent in the company’s business model, strategic initiatives that are backed by research and development or capital expenditure, or from the company’s strong culture e.g. for equity and diversity; and
  • the company recognises potential negative social or environmental outcomes associated with its product or services and works towards minimising such outcomes (e.g., a company that sells affordable nutritious food products in plastic packaging, but is investigating alternative packaging options).

The Portfolio Explorer tool provides the contribution that each investee company makes to human development and climate solutions as well as the investment rationale, Sustainable Development Goals, key risks, and engagement topics.

In addition, the data and charts below provide a summary of the social and environmental outcomes for each Fund. This information will be updated biannually.

Fund level reporting to 31 December 2023

Stewart Investors Asia Pacific and Japan Sustainability

Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Leaders Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors Asia Pacific Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors European (ex UK) Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders Fund

Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors Indian Subcontinent Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors Worldwide Leaders Sustainability Fund

Stewart Investors Worldwide Sustainability Fund

Source for analysis and mapping: Stewart Investors investment team, company data and © 2014–2024 Project Drawdown (drawdown.org) as at 31 December 2023.

Contributions are defined by the team as demonstrable contributions to any solution, either direct (directly attributable to products, services or practices provided by that company) or enabling (supported or made possible by products or technologies provided by that company). More information is available on the 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.

* Any reference to Project Drawdown is to describe the publicly available materials utilised by Stewart Investors in formulating its sustainability analysis. It is not intended to be, and should not be, read as constituting or implying that Project Drawdown has reviewed or otherwise endorsed the Stewart Investors sustainability assessment framework.

**A direct link would arise where the goods an entity produces or the services it provides are the primary means through which the positive social or environmental outcome can be achieved (e.g. solar panel manufacturers or installers).

An enabling link would arise if the goods a company produces or services it provides enable other companies to contribute towards the achievement of the positive social or environmental outcome (e.g. manufacturers of critical components that are used as inputs in the manufacture of solar panels).