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Fund Name(s):
  • Unicorn Ethical Income Fund
Fund Name SRI Style Product Region Asset Type Launch Date

Unicorn Ethical Income Fund		 Ethical OEIC/Unit Trust UK Equity Income 01/04/2016

Fund Size: £41.70m

Total screened & themed / SRI assets: £41.70

Total Responsible Ownership assets: £536.60

Total assets under management: £781.50

As at: 28/03/24

Contact: Info@unicornam.com

Overview

ESG analysis remains an integral part of our investment appraisal and a key focus prior to and throughout the life of an investment. Implementation of robust ESG due diligence enables a more holistic mapping of material issues, enhancing decision-making from the outset and improving the sustainability and resilience of company business models. Businesses that act with a keen eye on ESG considerations will, in doing so, create meaningful value for the future. Unicorn’s disciplined investment process seeks to identify the risks associated with any potential investment and identify the factors that may impact long-term returns. The assessment of ESG factors is integral to this framework and helps to provide a holistic understanding of a business. All stages of this process can be evidenced upon request.

 

As meaningful long-term shareholders, Unicorn’s investment team therefore tends to benefit from excellent corporate access to the senior management teams and Boards of our investee companies. This privileged corporate access provides a strong platform for engagement with management, through ongoing dialogue and active voting. The practice of evaluating a company’s ESG credentials is highly subjective and constantly evolving. The simplest way to understand Unicorn’s ESG approach across funds is as two distinct activities: Evaluate and Engage. This process is then Enhanced with additional criteria for specific Responsible, Ethical or Impact strategies and for segregated mandates where required.

Filters

Fund information

Sustainability

Transition focus

Nature & Biodiversity

Genetic engineering exclusion

Climate Change & Energy

Coal, oil & / or gas majors excluded

Fracking and tar sands excluded

Fossil fuel reserves exclusion

Fossil fuel exploration exclusion - direct involvement

Human Rights

Human rights policy

Child labour exclusion

Oppressive regimes (not free or democratic) exclusion policy

Modern slavery exclusion policy

Ethical Values Led Exclusions

Tobacco and related product manufacturers excluded

Banking & Financials

Invests in banks (NEW)

Governance & Management

Avoids companies with poor governance

Asset Size & Metrics

Over 50% small / mid cap companies

Invests mostly in small or mid cap companies / assets (NEW)

How The Fund Works

Strictly screened ethical fund

All assets (except cash) meet published sustain'y criteria

Do not use stock / securities lending (NEW)

Impact Methodologies

Aim to deliver positive impacts through engagement

Intended Clients & Product Options

Intended for investors interested in sustainability

Intended for clients interested in ethical issues (NEW)

Fund management company information

About The Business

Responsible ownership / stewardship policy or strategy (AFM company wide)

Integrates ESG factors into all / most fund research

Offer unstructured intermediary sustainable investment training

Collaborations & Affiliations

PRI signatory

Fund EcoMarket partner

UN Net Zero Asset Owners / Managers Alliance member

Investment Association (IA) member

Engagement Approach

Engaging on climate change issues

Engaging to reduce plastics pollution / waste

Engaging on labour / employment issues

Engaging on diversity, equality and / or inclusion issues

Engaging on governance issues

Engaging on responsible supply chain issues

Engaging to encourage a Just Transition

Company Wide Exclusions

Controversial weapons avoidance policy (AFM company wide)

Transparency

Publish full voting record (AFM company wide)

Publish responsible ownership / stewardship report (AFM company wide)

Full SRI policy information on company website

Full SRI policy information available on request

Policy

Our approach to investment is that of a Co-Investor, not a speculator. We back management to deliver on their strategy for our clients over the long-term – UK equity investing with a sustainability focus. Unicorn believes a committed approach to sustainability from management teams is a leading indicator of long-term value protection and creation, thereby improving their potential to deliver superior financial returns to our clients.

 

For clients with more advanced ESG requirements our Ethical & Responsible portfolios apply an additional robust ethical screening process to the successful, longstanding Unicorn investment process.

 

For further information, kindly see our annually published Sustainability and Stewardship Report, found on the company website: https://www.unicornam.com/about/policies-disclosures/

 

Process

ESG analysis remains an integral part of our investment appraisal and a key focus prior to, and throughout the life of an investment. Implementation of robust ESG due diligence enables a more holistic mapping of material issues, enhancing decision-making from the outset and improving the sustainability and resilience of company business models. Businesses that act with a keen eye on ESG considerations will, in doing so, create meaningful value for the future.

 

Unicorn’s disciplined investment process seeks to identify the risks associated with any potential investment and identify the factors that may impact long-term returns. The assessment of ESG factors is integral to this framework and helps to provide a holistic understanding of a business. All stages of this process can be evidenced upon request.

 

As meaningful long-term shareholders, Unicorn’s investment team therefore tends to benefit from excellent corporate access to the senior management teams and Boards of our investee companies. This privileged corporate access provides a strong platform for engagement with management, through ongoing dialogue and active voting. 

 

The practice of evaluating a company’s ESG credentials is highly subjective and constantly evolving. The simplest way to understand Unicorn’s ESG approach across funds is as two distinct activities: Evaluate and Engage. This process is then Enhanced with additional criteria for specific Responsible, Ethical or Impact strategies and for segregated mandates where required.

 

Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies

Dialshifter

Our organisation is helping to support the Paris Climate Agreement and the Race to Net Zero by…

Unicorn Asset Management continues to be a signatory of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment and Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative which supports the Paris Climate Agreement and the Race to Net Zero. (April 2024)

 

 

 

Literature

Last amended: 01/05/24 07:42

Important information

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05/04/2024