Sustainable investing

Overview

ii ACE 40 investments:
Royal London Sustainable World Trust

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ii Ace 40
Asset GroupAsset Sub-GroupInvestment Category
AlternativesMixed assetAdventurous

Why we recommend it

The team is led by Mike Fox who has been part of the sustainable team since its formation in 2003. Shalin Shah, who has been with the fixed income team since 2008, oversees the  fixed income side.  George Crowdy and Sebastian Beguelin joined the team in 2020 before becoming co-managers in April 2021. They work alongside Fox on the equity side and were brought in, in part to reflect the team's desire to widen the investment universe outside of the UK and also to acknowledge the significant increase in assets.

Mike Fox is head of sustainability and looks to invest in companies that deliver a net benefit to society in terms of the products and services they provide, or which show leadership in environmental, social, and governance management on the equities side. On the fixed income side, Shalin Shah looks for similar characteristics, but secured bonds make up the core and are complemented by issuers that are currently out of favour but where he can see clear credit migration catalysts.

The equity portion, typically between 75%-85% of the portfolio, comprises between 50 - 60 names and while the managers can invest across the market-cap spectrum, the portfolio typically has a consistent large-cap bias as the managers believe the resources of bigger companies allow them to be better placed to address sustainability issues faced by society, while still being able to generate good long-term returns for shareholders.

Opinion
The fund is a strong choice for investors looking for modest income and capital growth from a portfolio centred around equities and using a sustainability approach that has been used in a disciplined manner over time.

Fox and Shah are experienced investors and are supported by an experienced and respected team that is well-versed in the sustainable process employed here. They also leverage wider teams at Royal London Asset Management. 

Sustainability criteria

Morningstar Sustainable Attribute: This fund is considered a sustainable investment product based on its prospectus or other regulatory filings. As a General ESG Investment, the fund uses ESG criteria as a central part of the security-selection and portfolio-construction process. These strategies endeavour to promote sustainability and minimize negative impact, without focusing on a specific theme or area of action.

Information and data compiled to March 2024.
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Risk warnings

The information we provide in the ACE 40 investments list does not constitute a "personal recommendation". You should ensure that any investment decisions you make are suitable for your personal circumstances and that the ethical style of the investment reflects your personal beliefs.

Past performance of the underlying constituents is not a guarantee of future performance. Remember, the value of investments, and any income from them, can fall as well as rise so you could get back less than you invest.

Annual performance can be found on the factsheet of each fund, trust or ETF. Simply click on the asset’s name and then the performance tab.

If you are unsure about the suitability of a particular investment or think that you need a personal recommendation, you should speak to a suitably qualified financial advisor.

Any changes to the ii ACE 40 investments list and the rationale behind those decisions will be communicated through the Quarterly Investment Review.

Details of all recommendations issued by ii during the previous 12 month period can be found here.

ii adheres to a strict code of conduct. Members of ii staff may hold shares in companies mentioned in the ii ACE 40 investments list, which could create a conflict of interest. Any member of staff intending to complete some research about any financial instrument in which they have an interest are required to disclose such interest to ii. We will at all times consider whether such interest impairs the objectivity of the recommendation.

In addition, staff involved in the production of this ii ACE 40 list are subject to a personal account dealing restriction. This prevents them from placing a transaction in the specified instrument(s) for five working days before and after an investment is included or amended and made public within the list. This is to avoid personal interests conflicting with the interests of the recipients of this ii ACE 40 investments list.