Negative screening
Every fund in our SRI portfolios has a negative screen in place, as this is the fundamental factor that makes them SRI funds and includes:
- Avoid unethical companies (Fossil fuel, alcohol, tobacco etc…)
- Support those making a positive contribution to the environment and/or society
Positive screening
This is an additional layer to applying a negative screen, meaning the funds go beyond the approach of ‘avoiding the bad’ and also seek ‘good’ companies trying to benefit the environment and the communities in which they operate and include:
- Supporting companies making a positive contribution to the environment and/or society through their products and services, such as combating climate change and standing for social justice.
- Dynamic shareholder engagement where shareholders enter into dialogue with management to encourage behavioural change.
- Every fund in our SRI portfolios must have engagement and proxy voting policies and procedures in place.
- ESG Rating Agencies look at a fund’s underlying investments, and scores them based on specific ESG criteria.
- Additionally, use our own judgement, to assess whether we think a fund is suitable for inclusion in our portfolios, regardless of any ESG label they may have been given.
- Fund Manager Meetings are an integral part of our investment process, as it allows us to satisfy ourselves that the funds we invest in really are ‘good’ as they say they are.