EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund

SRI Style:

Sustainable Style

SDR Labelling:

Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Product:

OEIC

Fund Region:

UK

Fund Asset Type:

Equity

Launch Date:

13/09/1999

Last Amended:

Jun 2025

Dialshifter ():

Fund Size:

£98.75m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Screened Themed SRI Assets:

£1638.79m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Responsible Ownership Assets:

£1403.01m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Assets Under Management:

£3041.81m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

ISIN:

GB0008446063, GB0008445982

Objectives:

The Fund’s aim is to achieve long-term capital growth over five years or more with an income. The EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund aims to invest at least 80% in a range of UK incorporated companies whose primary listing is in the UK, which the Manager believes offer good potential for long-term capital growth.

Sustainable, Responsible
&/or ESG Overview:

The EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund seeks to invest at least 70% in companies which the Manager believes operate as sustainable businesses. It will therefore identify companies with positive sustainable business characteristics, by following EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach. This approach assesses, in a systematic way, multiple dimensions of sustainability, making for a rounded assessment of a company’s practices. Companies with material exposures to particular aspects of sustainability are assessed more closely on those topics.

Primary fund last amended:

Jun 2025

Information directly from fund manager.

Fund Filters

Sustainability - General
Sustainability policy

Funds that have policies that consider (environmental and social) sustainability issues. Strategies vary but are likely to consider environmental issues like climate change, carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, resource management, environmental impacts; and social issues like equal opportunities, human rights, labour standards, diversity and adherence to internationally recognised codes. See fund information.

Sustainability focus

Find funds which substantially focus on sustainability issues

Sustainable transport policy or theme

Find funds that have documented policies or thematic investment approaches relating to investment in more sustainable, greener transport methods. These will typically set out a preference for companies that run, enable or support more sustainable methods of transport. See fund information for further detail.

Encourage more sustainable practices through stewardship

A core element of these funds aim to encourage higher sustainability standards across business practices through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement / voting activity

UN Global Compact linked exclusion policy

Find funds that use the UN Global Compact to inform or help direct where they can or cannot invest and will typically not invest in companies with significant breaches (low standards) - although strategies vary. (The UNGC covers a wide range of issues - search 'UNGC'). See https://unglobalcompact.org/

Transition focus

The delivery of the shift to a sustainable future is a core feature of this fund and its investment strategy. See eg https://www.transitionpathwayinitiative.org/

Circular economy theme

Fund has a theme or investment strand focused on the shift to a circular economy (where products are reused and recycled not incinerated or dumped). See eg https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview

Environmental - General
Environmental policy

Funds that have policies which relate to environmental issues. These will typically set out the fund's stance on issues such as pollution, climate change, resource management, biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, plastics and/or additional environmental impacts. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.

Limits exposure to carbon intensive industries

Funds that limit or 'reduce' their exposure to carbon intensive industries (ie sectors which are major contributors to climate change. Funds vary - some funds may be 'underweight' in this area which means they may have some investment in highly carbon intensive areas. Funds of this kind may choose companies they consider to be 'best in sector' and encourage ever higher standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further details.

Environmental damage and pollution policy

Funds that have written policies explaining the approach they take when companies damage the environment or are significant polluters. Funds of this kind may work with companies to encourage higher standards, or exclude companies - sometimes dependent on the situation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Resource efficiency policy or theme

Find funds that have a policy or theme that relates to managing natural resources more efficiently. Funds with this policy will be likely to favour companies that make (or enable the) more efficient use of resources - and either avoid or encourage change amongst companies with lower standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Favours cleaner, greener companies

Funds that aim to invest in companies with strong or market leading environmental policies and practices. Strategies vary - in particular the balance between 'financial' aspects and environmental benefits. Some may invest substantially in solutions or 'positive impact' companies - others may invest in more conventional companies providing certain environmental criteria are met. See fund information for further detail.

Waste management policy or theme

Find funds that have a written policy or theme on waste management - typically a view to encouraging higher levels of recycling and better efficiency / reducing waste.

Nature & Biodiversity
Biodiversity / nature policy

Find funds that have a written biodiversity policy or theme aimed at encouraging and improving environmental protection and safeguarding the natural world (sometimes referred to as the preservation or enhancement of 'natural capital'). See eg https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/biodiversity

Nature / biodiversity based solutions theme

A significant focus on investments that aim to protect, improve and, or restore natural habitat.

Deforestation / palm oil policy

Find funds that have policies in place designed to ensure they do not invest in companies that are significantly involved in deforestation. This typically relates to palm oil plantations where biodiversity loss is a major concern (as well as other issues). Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Illegal deforestation exclusion policy

Find funds that have policies in place explaining that they avoid companies involved in illegal and/or unsustainable deforestation. This may relate to palm oil, cattle farming or other concerns. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Responsible palm oil policy

Fund has a responsible palm oil policy which is likely to focus on the producers of palm oil and deforestation issues with a view to informing investment decisions (and / or engagement) to support and encourage high standards.

Sustainable fisheries policy

Fund has a sustainable fisheries policy that will inform where it can and can not invest

Water stewardship policy

Fund has a policy which sets out their expectations for how investee assets should manage water

Climate Change & Energy
Climate change / greenhouse gas emissions policy

Funds that have policies (documented strategies that explain their position on) climate change related issues such as greenhouse gas/carbon emissions, net zero, transitioning to lower carbon. Strategies vary. Read fund details for further information.

Coal, oil & / or gas majors excluded

Funds that avoid investing in major coal, oil and/or gas (extraction) companies. Funds vary: some may exclude all companies that extract oil. Others may have exposure to oil extraction via more diversified energy companies. See fund literature to confirm details.

Fracking and tar sands excluded

Funds that avoid companies involved in fracking and tar sands - which are widely regarded as controversial methods of oil and gas extraction. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.

Arctic drilling exclusion

Funds that avoid companies that are involved in extracting oil from the Arctic regions. See fund literature for further details.

Fossil fuel reserves exclusion

Funds that avoid investing in companies with coal, oil and gas reserves. See fund information for further details.

Clean / renewable energy theme or focus

Find funds where investment in clean / renewable energy companies an other assets is central to their investment selection strategy. The proportion of the fund that is directly or indirectly invested in renewable energy varies between funds and over time. See fund information for further details.

Encourage transition to low carbon through stewardship activity

A core element of these funds will aim to encourage the transition to lower carbon activities through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement / voting activity

Energy efficiency theme

Fund funds that have an energy efficiency theme - typically meaning that a fund manager is focused on investing in organisations that manage - or help others to manage - energy use more carefully and less wastefully - and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Invests in clean energy / renewables

Funds that hold companies in the clean energy and renewable energy sectors (at the time research was supplied). Fund strategies vary, in particular the proportion of investment in these areas may vary significantly. Check fund literature for details.

Nuclear exclusion policy

Find funds that have policies which say they avoid or limit their investment in the nuclear industry. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Supply chain decarbonisation policy

Fund has a supply chain decarbonisation policy which sets out its position on the need to reduce carbon emissions throughout the investment chain. This will inform where the manager can and can not invest.

Fossil fuel exploration exclusion - direct involvement

The fund manager excludes companies with direct involvement in fossil fuel exploration (eg coal, oil and gas companies)

Paris aligned fund strategy

This fund has a strategy that aims ensure its holdings will gradually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets set at COP21 in Paris. The ultimate aim is to achieve ‘net zero emissions by 2050’ and a ‘maximum global temperature increase of +1.5 to +2 degrees above preindustrial levels’. Strategies and opinions vary. Read fund information.

Require net zero action plan from all/most companies

Find funds that require all, or almost all, of the companies it invests in to have a ‘net zero action plan’ - meaning that the companies they invest in have worked out how they will, over time, reduce their total carbon (and other greenhouse gas) emissions to nil.

Social / Employment
Social policy

Find funds that have policies which set out their approach to social issues (e.g. human rights, labour standards, equal opportunities, child labour and adherence to internationally recognised codes such as the UN Global Compact). Funds with social policies typically avoid companies with low standards or work to encourage higher standards. See fund information for detail.

Labour standards policy

Find funds that have a labour standards policy - which can be expected to mean that the fund will invest in / favour companies that have higher standards in this area - although fund strategies can vary significantly (as with all policy areas). See eg https://www.ilo.org/international-labour-standards

Favours companies with strong social policies

Find funds that invest in line with positive strategies that relate to 'people' issues - such as having strong human rights, labour standards and equal opportunities practices. Such funds are likely to invest in companies that have market leading standards with regard to employee and supplier practices. Read fund literature for further information.

Health & wellbeing policies or theme

Find funds with policies or themes that set out their approach to health and wellbeing issues. Funds of this kind typically aim to invest in companies with high standards - or encourage high standards. Themed funds are likely to have more of an emphasis on this area. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Diversity, equality & inclusion Policy (fund level)

Find individual funds that have a written diversity policy – where the fund manager will aim to select companies with a carefully considered, sound approach to diversity. This should ideally cover a range of issues including gender, ethnicity, disability, beliefs, sexual orientation, etc.

Mining exclusion

All mining companies excluded

Vulnerable / gig workers protection policy

Fund has a policy aimed at protecting vulnerable workers such as those on zero hour / informal contracts working in the gig economy

Ethical Values Led Exclusions
Tobacco and related products - avoid where revenue > 5%

Companies are excluded if they make more than 5% of their revenue from the manufacture, sale or distribution of tobacco products including cigarettes, vaping, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars.

Controversial weapons exclusion

Find funds that exclude companies which make controversial weapons such as landmines, cluster munitions and chemical weapons. See fund literature for further information.

Armaments manufacturers avoided

Find funds that avoid companies that manufacture products intended specifically for military use. Fund strategies vary - particularly with regard to non-strategic military products. See fund literature for fund specific details.

Military involvement exclusion

Find funds that avoid companies with military contracts of any kind. This may include medical supplies, food, safety equipment, housing, etc. Fund strategies vary. See fund liteterature for more information.

Civilian firearms production exclusion

Find funds with a written civilian firearms exclusion policy - meaning that they will not invest in companies that make (or perhaps also sell) handguns made for non-military users.

Alcohol production excluded

Find funds that avoid investment in companies involved in the production of alcohol. Strategies vary; some funds allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund literature for further information.

Gambling avoidance policy

Find funds that avoid companies with significant involvement in the gambling industry. Some funds may allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund policy for further details.

Pornography avoidance policy

Find funds that avoid companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary. See fund details for further information.

Animal welfare policy

Find funds with policies that require specific animal welfare standards to be met. These may reference well-known welfare standards (3Rs - Replace, Reduce, Refine) or certification schemes. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Animal testing - excluded except if for medical purposes

Find funds that avoid companies that test their products on animals for purposes other than medical benefit (e.g. for cosmetics). Strategies vary. See fund literature for further information.

Human Rights
Human rights policy

Find funds that have policies relating to human rights issues. Funds of this kind typically require companies to demonstrate higher standards, although some fund managers work to encourage improvements. Investee companies are often judged against internationally agreed norms or standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Child labour exclusion

Find funds that have policies in place to ensure they do not invest in companies that employ children.

Oppressive regimes (not free or democratic) exclusion policy

Find funds with policies that exclude companies or other assets where regimes are not democratic, or where people may be oppressed. May use eg. Freedom House research. Strategies vary. See fund literature for further information.

Responsible supply chain policy or theme

Find funds that have policies or a theme that relates to the responsible management of supply chains. These may relate to employment issues, notably people employed by their suppliers, as well as the sourcing of materials and products. See fund literature for further information.

Modern slavery exclusion policy

The fund has a policy which excludes assets with involvement in Modern Slavery

Meeting Peoples' Basic Needs
Water / sanitation policy or theme

Find funds that have policies or themes that set out their position on investment in the water sector and/or sanitation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Healthcare / medical theme

Healthcare and or medical theme or area of investment - the fund may have a single theme or many themes

Antimicrobial resistance policy

Fund has a policy on ‘antimicrobial resistance’ - which is when organisms that cause infection can survive treatment - which is commonly associated with the overuse of antibiotics in factory farming and a threat to our health.

Banking & Financials
Invests in banks

Find funds that include banks as part of their holdings / portfolio.

Only invest in TCFD (ISSB) aligned banks / financial institutions

Find fund managers that only invest in banks and other financial institutions that implement the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures recommendations on climate change related financial disclosures - which aim to help financial markets measure and respond to climate risk.

Exclude banks with significant fossil fuel investments

Will avoid banks that have a large part of their loan book (or other assets) invested in fossil fuels companies - particular coal, oil and gas.

Exclude insurers of major fossil fuel companies

Find funds that avoid investing in insurance companies that insure major fossil fuels companies – particularly coal, oil and gas. Strategies (eg definition of ‘major’) vary. See fund literature for further information.

Invests in insurers

Funds that do or may invest in insurance companies.

Governance & Management
Governance policy

Find fund options that have policies that relate to corporate governance issues such as board structure, executive remuneration, bribery and/or corporate corruption. These funds will typically avoid companies with poor practices. Strategies vary. See fund literature for further information.

Avoids companies with poor governance

Find funds that aim to avoid investing in companies with poor governance practices.(e.g. board structure, management practices etc.) Views may however vary on what counts as 'poor' practices - and funds may not immediately divest as they may prefer to work to encourage higher standards. See fund literature for further information.

UN sanctions exclusion

Exclude companies that are subject to United Nations sanctions. See eg https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list

Anti-bribery and corruption policy

Find funds that have policies explaining how managers will respond to assets / companies that do not comply with relevant anti-bribery and anti-corruption standards or laws. Strategies vary; options include stewardship/ engagement and divestment - or a combination. See fund literature for further information.

Encourage board diversity e.g. gender

Fund managers encourage the companies they invest in to have more diverse board structures (e.g. more women on boards)

Encourage TCFD alignment for banks & insurance companies

Find fund managers that encourage the banks and insurance companies they invest in to publish climate change related financial information - as set out by the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (with the aim of helping investors measure and respond to climate risk).

Encourage higher ESG standards through stewardship activity

A core element of these funds will aim to encourage higher ESG standards through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement /voting activity

Require investee companies to report climate risk in R&A

The fund manager requires the companies they invest in to report on climate risks that are relevant to their business in their report and accounts

Fund Governance
ESG integration strategy

Find funds that factor in 'environmental, social and governance' issues as part of their investment decision making process. A focus on 'ESG' typically means a fund is carrying out additional research to help reduce ESG related risks. It does not necessarily mean a focus on sustainability. Strategies vary. See fund literature.

ESG factors included in Assessment of Value (AoV) report

Environmental, social and governance issues are part of this fund’s reporting of their ‘value’ to clients. AoV reporting is a statutory requirement. Including ESG factors in its calculation is not.

Asset Size
Invests in small, mid and large cap companies / assets

Find a fund that invests in a combination of small, medium and larger (potentially multinational)companies.

Targeted Positive Investments
Invests >25% of fund in environmental/social solutions companies

Find funds that invest >25% of their capital towards companies where a major part of their business is focused on helping to address environmental or social challenges.

Invests >50% of fund in environmental/social solutions companies

Find funds that invest >50% of their capital in companies where a major part of their business is focused on helping to address environmental or social challenges.

Impact Methodologies
Positive environmental impact theme

Find funds that specifically set out to help deliver positive environmental impacts, benefits or 'real world' outcomes.

Positive social impact theme

Find funds that specifically state that they aim to deliver positive social (i.e. people related) impacts and/or outcomes.

Invests in environmental solutions companies

Find funds that direct investment towards companies where a major part of their business is about solving environmental challenges. e.g. companies helping to address climate change.

Invests in social solutions companies

Find funds that invest in companies where a major part of their business is specifically aimed at helping to address social challenges. e.g. companies helping to address poverty.

Invests in sustainability / ESG disruptors

Find funds that specifically set out to invest in companies that are regarded as 'disrupting' existing business practices - typically through the development of innovative (sustainability aware) products and/or practices.

Aim to deliver positive impacts through engagement

Fund aims to deliver positive environmental and or social impacts (real world benefits) through its engagement with investee assets

Publish ‘theory of change’ explanation

This fund has an explanation of the way in which the manager believes things need to change in order to deliver a more sustainable future, which they are working to help achieve.

How The Fund Works
Positive selection bias

Find funds that focus on finding and investing in companies with positive / beneficial attributes. This strategy can be applied in addition to exclusion criteria and engagement/stewardship activity.

Negative selection bias

Find funds where their main 'ethical approach' is to avoid companies by using negative screening criteria. Read fund literature for further information.

Strictly screened ethical fund

Find funds where their main approach is to apply positive or negative ethical, social and / or environmental screens. Strictly screened funds are likely to exclude more companies than other related fund options. See fund literature for further information.

ESG weighted / tilt

Find funds that invest more heavily in those that have higher ESG ratings/standards or scores and less heavily in companies with lower ESG ratings. Where this is central to a fund's strategy you should expect it to invest in most sectors. Strategies vary.

Significant harm exclusion

Aims to avoid companies that do significant harm. This originates from the EU’s sustainable finance ‘DNSH’ (do no significant harm) work, which is not necessarily used by UK investors.

Combines norms based exclusions with other SRI criteria

Find funds that make significant use of internationally agreed 'norms' (e.g. United Nations Global Compact - UNGC - or the UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs) as part of their investment selection process alongside additional SRI criteria such as positive or negative stock selection policies and/or stewardship strategies.

Combines ESG strategy with other SRI criteria

Find funds that have an ESG strategy (which is typically focused on avoiding companies that pose environmental, social or governance related risks) with additional criteria such as positive and/or negative screens, themes and stewardship strategies.

Focus on ESG risk mitigation

A major focus of these funds is the careful management of environmental, social and governance (ESG) related risks - typically by avoiding or being underweight in companies seen as posing major risks in these areas (i.e. not necessarily by using themes, exclusions etc).

SRI / ESG / Ethical policies explained on website

Find funds that have published explanations of their ethical, social and/or environmental policies online (i.e. fund decision making strategies/ buy/sell &/or asset management strategies).

Do not use stock / securities lending

This fund does not use stock lending for performance or risk purposes.

Unscreened Assets & Cash
Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives 70 - 79%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets.

Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives 80 – 89%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets.

Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives > 90%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets

All assets (except cash) meet published sustainability criteria

All assets held in the fund - except cash - meet the sustainability criteria published in fund documentation.

Intended Clients & Product Options
Intended for investors interested in sustainability

Finds funds designed to meet the needs of individual investors with an interest in sustainability issues.

Intended for clients interested in ethical issues

Find funds designed for clients who care about ethical and values-based issues, often alongside sustainability issues also.

Available via an ISA (OEIC only)

Find funds that are available via a tax efficient ISA product wrapper.

Labels & Accreditations
ACT signatory

A voluntary corporate culture standard for investment managers, see https://www.investorsact.com/ - City Hive

Fund Management Company Information

About The Business
Boutique / specialist fund management company

Find fund management companies that are smaller or specialise in particular areas - notably, ideally ESG related. Strategies vary.

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

Finds fund management companies that have a published company wide stewardship, engagement and / or responsible ownership policy or strategy that covers all investments. Stewardship typically involves encouraging higher ESG standards through voting and dialogue.

ESG / SRI engagement (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that actively encourage higher 'environmental, social and governance' and/or 'sustainable and responsible investment' practices across investee companies - typically where the aim is to encourage positive change that is aligned with the best interests of investors. Strategies vary. See additional information and options.

Vote all* shares at AGMs / EGMs (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that vote all* the shares they own at Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings. A commitment to voting shares is a key indicator of 'responsible share ownership' demonstrating their support for or disagreement with management policy. (*situations can legitimately, occasionally occur where voting proves impossible, but in principle all shares should be voted.)

Responsible ownership / ESG a key differentiator (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that consider responsible ownership and ESG to be a key differentiator for their business.

Sustainable property strategy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that take sustainability criteria into account when selecting and/or managing all of their property / real estate investments.

Senior management KPIs include environmental goals (AFM company wide)

The leadership team of this asset manager have performance targets linked to environmental goals.

Integrates ESG factors into all / most (AFM) fund research

Find fund management companies that consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues when deciding whether or not to invest in a company for all / almost all of their funds and other assets. This is increasingly seen as part of sound risk management.

In-house diversity improvement programme (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have an in-house (company wide) diversity improvement programme - meaning that they are working to ensure that within their own businesses they employ people from diverse backgrounds - often typically focused on ethnicity and/or sex.

Diversity, equality & inclusion engagement policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that encourage the companies they invest in to have strong diversity, race, gender and other equality policies across all assets held, not simply screened or themed SRI/ESG funds. (ie Asset Management company wide).

Vulnerable client policy on website (AFM company wide)

Asset manager has information on their website that explains how they treat 'vulnerable clients' (as set out in FCA regulation)

Invests in newly listed companies (AFM company wide)

This asset management company invests in companies which have recently listed on a stock exchange (which is important as it can help grow new businesses).

Invests in new sustainability linked bond issuances (AFM company wide)

Asset management company has investments in bonds designed to meet sustainability requirements - however these assets may not be 'ringfenced' for this purpose. See fund manager website for details.

Offer structured intermediary training on sustainable investment

Fund management entity offers unstructured intermediary training on sustainable investment (ie for financial advisers and wealth managers)

Offer unstructured intermediary sustainable investment training

Fund management entity offers unstructured intermediary training on sustainable investment (ie for financial advisers and wealth managers)

Collaborations & Affiliations
PRI signatory

Find fund management companies that have signed up to the UN backed 'Principles of Responsible Investment'.

UKSIF member

Find fund management companies that are members of UKSIF - the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance association

Fund EcoMarket partner

Find fund management companies that have partnered with Fund EcoMarket - meaning that they are helping to improve access to information on sustainable and responsible investment by paying an annual fee to us which enables us to publish information for free. Partner funds are listed ahead of other funds and have their logos displayed.

Investment Association (IA) member

Fund management entity is a member of the Investment Association https://www.theia.org/

Resources
In-house responsible ownership / voting expertise

Find fund management companies that employ people to steer and support fund managers in voting shares at company AGM's and EGMs in ways that are consistent with encouraging higher ESG/sustainability standards.

Employ specialist ESG / SRI / sustainability researchers

Find a fund management company that directly employs specialist ESG/SRI/sustainability researchers or analysts. This allows asset managers to discuss environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities directly with companies.

Use specialist ESG / SRI / sustainability research companies

Find fund management companies that makes use of expert external research companies. This can help deliver specialist expertise and means resources are pooled with other investors.

Accreditations
PRI A+ rated (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have an A+ PRI rating - meaning they are highly rated according to the 'Principles of Responsible Investment'

UK Stewardship Code signatory (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that are signatories to the FRC UK Stewardship Code, which sets out a framework for constructive investor / investee relations where fund managers are encouraged to behave like responsible, typically longer term 'company owners'.

Engagement Approach
Regularly lead collaborative ESG initiatives (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that regularly initiate or run industry wide (collaborative) investor projects aimed at raising environmental, social and governance standards amongst investee companies.

Encourage responsible corporate taxation (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage more responsible corporate taxation.

Engaging on climate change issues

Fund manager has stewardship /responsible ownership strategy that is focused on addressing climate change with investee assets.

Engaging with fossil fuel companies on climate change

Asset manager has a stewardship /responsible ownership strategy that involves working with fossil fuel companies on climate change related issues. See fund manager website for details.

Engaging to reduce plastics pollution / waste

Asset manager has stewardship /responsible ownership strategy with involves encouraging investee asset to reduce plastic waste and pollution.

Engaging on biodiversity / nature issues

The asset manager has a responsible ownership / stewardship strategy that focuses on biodiversity and nature issues relating to the assets they invest the aim of which will be to reduce harm and or deliver improvement. Strategies vary. https://tnfd.global

Engaging to encourage a Just Transition

Asset manager has a responsible ownership / stewardship strategy which means they are working to encourage the shift to more sustainable business practices in ways that respect and are sensitive to social issues and the impact change has on people effected by the changes that are taking place. https://www.transitionpathwayinitiative.org/ https://transitiontaskforce.net/

Engaging on human rights issues

Asset manager has responsible ownership / stewardship strategy in place which aims to address human rights issues in investee companies (and potentially their suppliers) with the aim of raising standards

Engaging on labour / employment issues

Asset manager has responsible ownership / stewardship strategy in place that aims to improve labour standards for the benefit of employees in investee companies (and potentially their suppliers)

Engaging on diversity, equality and / or inclusion issues

Asset management company has a stewardship strategy in place which involves working to raise diversity, equality and inclusion standards across investee assets

Engaging to stop modern slavery

working with the assets they hold to help stamp out modern slavery - where direct or indirect company employees are exploited for business benefits.

Engaging on governance issues

Fund managers have stewardship strategies in place that focus on improving governance standards across investee assets

Engaging on responsible supply chain issues

Has a stewardship / responsible ownership strategy that encourages responsible supply chain - ie the managers will discuss environmental, social and governance issues with investee companies with the aim of raising standards

Engaging on the responsible use of AI

Working to address sustainability, ESG and related concerns around artificial intelligence.

Stewardship escalation policy

Escalation policies describe how a manager will proceed if stewardship / engagement activity is not successful in the short term.

Company Wide Exclusions
Controversial weapons avoidance policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies (not funds) that avoid investment in 'controversial weapons' across all of their funds and other investment vehicles.

Fossil fuel exclusion policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that avoid investment in fossil fuel companies (e.g. coal, oil and gas) across all of their funds. (and/ or other assets.)

Coal exclusion policy (group wide coal mining exclusion policy)

This asset manager excludes direct investment in the coal mining industry. Managers ability to do this may depend on the geographic regions in which they invest.

Do not invest in companies with fossil fuel reserves

Asset management company excludes companies with fossil fuel reserves across all assets/funds

Climate & Net Zero Transition
Net Zero commitment (AFM company wide)

Fund management organisations that have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net zero’. Strategies vary - this area is changing rapidly.

Voting policy includes net zero targets (AFM company wide)

Fund manager AGM / EGM voting strategy has processes in place that mean they will normally be expected to vote in a way that will encourage the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Net Zero - have set a Net Zero target date (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has set a date by which they plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.

Encourage carbon / greenhouse gas reduction (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

‘Forward Looking Climate Metrics’ published / ITR (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have published ‘forward looking climate metrics’ e.g. 'implied temperature rise' data that are a total of the asset management company's share (% owned) of all the investee company emissions of the assets they manage, as well as their own direct and other indirect emissions.

Committed to SBTi / Science Based Targets Initiative

See https://sciencebasedtargets.org/

Transparency
Publish responsible ownership / stewardship report (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that publish a report detailing their responsible investment ownership - also known as 'Stewardship' - activity.

Full SRI / responsible ownership policy information on company website

Find companies that publish information about their sustainable and responsible investment strategies on their company website.

Full SRI / responsible ownership policy information available on request

Find fund management companies that will supply information about their sustainable and responsible investment activity on request.

Publish full voting record (AFM company wide)

Fund management companies that publish a full record of how they vote their shares at AGMs (annual general meetings) and EGMs (extraordinary general meetings). Voting strategies have an important role to play encouraging higher environmental, social and governance standards.

Dialshifter statement

Find fund management companies that have supplied Dialshifter information. See Dialshifter tab within record for more information.

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Policy:

Sustainability Approach

Companies operating as sustainable businesses

The Fund seeks to invest at least 70% in companies identified which operate sustainable businesses. Following EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach, these companies are assessed in a systematic way, considering multiple dimensions of social and environmental sustainability to encompass a rounded assessment of a company’s practices

Sustainability criteria and themes

The suitability of potential assets is assessed across six key areas of sustainable business practice: Climate Change & Environment, Employment & Labour, Human Rights, Business Ethics, Community and Corporate Governance. In addition, investments aligned to the following sustainability themes are also favoured: Education & Financial Inclusion, Health & Wellbeing, Sustainable Solutions, and Social Infrastructure

Excluded sectors and activities:

  • The Fund will avoid investment in companies which have a material involvement (10% or more) in alcohol and tobacco production, conventional weapon production, gambling, publication of violent or explicit materials, intensive farming, fossil fuel exploration and production and high interest (sub-prime) lending.
  • It will also avoid companies that have exposure to the manufacture of unconventional weapons, where these are defined as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, land mines and cluster bombs.
  • The Fund will seek to avoid companies using animals to test cosmetics, beauty or household products.

Oppressive Regimes

  • The Fund will avoid companies and governments with material operations in oppressive regimes.
  • The Fund’s proprietary means of assessing oppressive regime risk is based on an assessment by Freedom House and Transparency International and operates on a case-by-case basis.

For further information on our screening process please see Oppressive Regimes.

Process:

With the aim of spreading risk our portfolios are well diversified and comprising between 55-70 stocks, with a typical new holding being around 1% and no stock accounting for more than 5% of a Fund. We use a broad spread of counterparties and do not participate in stock lending. We strongly believe in the merits of low portfolio turnover, believing that high trading activity acts as a drag on performance.

EdenTree Uk Equity Opps process.png

We pride ourselves on our independent thought and analysis and are not afraid to adopt positions which do not conform to conventional thinking or prevailing consensus. We do not have model portfolios or preferred stock lists, preferring to give fund managers the flexibility and responsibility to implement investment strategies that best match the needs of our investors. Finally, our investment process places a strong emphasis on portfolio diversification at all levels, including geographical, sector, company size and investment theme, with the aim of reducing risk.

Responsible Investment

Concurrently, the Responsible Investment (RI) Team will screen the companies for their responsible and sustainable attributes. All ideas are required to pass our negative and positive screens in order for investment to go ahead. The RI Team has final sanction on excluding from investment any proposed idea. The Team will then assess whether the company’s mid to long-term valuation is justified based on their interpretation of the intrinsic value of the stock which arises from interpreting the information gathered in the process articulated above.

Stock Selection

We look for businesses that are capable of strong secular growth, but where that growth is underrated by the market and an appreciation of this will lead to a rerating. Thus we expect to benefit from both underlying growth and rerating driving superior returns. There are three types of growth we look for:

Dependable

  • Consistent over cycle growth up to 15%
  • High quality earnings and cash flows, power of compounding drives superior returns

Super Growth

  • Higher growth 15%pa+
  • Emerging or established growth markets
  • Requirement to watch cash conversion and expansion plans more carefully, but higher returns outweigh higher risk

Incubator

  • Market-Cap typically <£100m, lack of coverage but potentially Mid Cap entrants
  • High value add with own research and helping and supporting management as advisor

Our objective is to buy companies with high margins, high returns on capital and strong free cash flow as well as high growth. We avoid any form of creative accounting, especially the lack of conversion of profits into cash. We believe that significant leverage is toxic for shareholder returns and thus focus on low levels of leverage. We rate highly those companies that return excess capital to shareholders and avoid the temptation to make value destroying acquisitions.

We take a long-term view and make investments on this basis. However, circumstances change and we keep all of our investments under review to ensure they continue to deliver against the Fund’s objectives.

We undertake detailed fundamental analysis of our investments believing that structural mispricing is prevalent in small and mid-cap companies and that we can add significant value by our own due diligence and forecasting. We place a strong emphasis on company visits to really understand the value drivers of our companies. Investments are identified through a broad range of research resources both through trusted brokers and our own research.

 

Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:

The five person Responsible Investment (RI) Team is part of the wider Investment Team, and provides the specialist in-house resource for ESG screening, engagement, voting and thought-leadership. All members of the Investment Team are required to have an understanding of responsible and sustainable investing, and to include this into their thinking and analysis for the Responsible & Sustainable & Green fund range. The RI analysis is subject to peer review by the whole team with agreed sign off to ensure quality control and consistency. Our dedicated RI Team biographies are detailed below:  

  • Carlota Esguevillas, Head of Responsible Investment – Prior to joining the firm, Carlota worked for a leading sustainability consultancy advising global companies on their ESG strategies and disclosures. She holds a First-Class Honours BA in Geography from Oxford University, a master’s certificate with distinction in Business & Human Rights from Bergen University, and the Investment Management Certificate (IMC). She is also a member of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association’s (UKSIF) Industry Development Committee.
  • Amelia Gaston, Senior Responsible Investment Analyst – Amelia holds a BA in Geography from Durham University and previously worked as a Responsible Investment Analyst at LGPS Central, one of the UK Pension Pools. Amelia holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) and CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. She leads EdenTree’s work on climate and environmental issues.
  • Hayley Grafton, Senior Responsible Investment Analyst – Hayley leads on the firm's approach to corporate governance and proxy voting. She holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC), and is a member of the StePs (Stewardship Professionals) Association. Previously, Hayley worked at Mercer, where she focused on the firm's stewardship approach and activity across portfolio funds in her role as a Sustainable Investment Specialist.
  • Cordelia Dower-Tylee, Responsible Investment Analyst – Cordelia holds an MA in History from the University of Edinburgh, and a Certificate in Sustainable Finance from the University of Cambridge. She has previously worked with the International Water Management Institute and has experience in a green-focused corporate advisory firm. She leads EdenTree’s environmental work, with an emphasis on water, and supports the company’s work on governance.
  • Aaron Cox, Impact Strategist – Aaron joined EdenTree in June 2022 and is Impact Strategist within the Responsible Investment Team. Prior to joining EdenTree, Aaron had roles at First State Investments (now First Sentier), Jupiter and Majedie and as a writer and researcher with a focus on ESG and sustainable investing. He started his career as a derivatives broker in Sydney.  Aaron has a BA in English from the University of New South Wales, Post Grad Certificate in Environmental Economics from SOAS and Certificate in Sustainable Investing from Harvard Business School.  He is currently undertaking a post graduate research project at Birmingham University on computational linguistic methods to identify sustainability stretch goal tensions and the risk of greenwashing and corporate misbehaviour.

 

ESG risk exposure is constantly monitored by our data providers, ISS & Sustainalytics, who flag potential violations of global norms. In addition, if any of our holdings breach our screens, we are immediately notified by our data providers and can then review the breach with the ultimate sanction of divestment if we deem it necessary. Furthermore, periodically stocks and instruments held within our funds are reviewed by the RI Team to ensure that they remain suitable, whilst the team monitors any negative news flow, engaging with companies to provide clarity and assess the risk level involved.

Our Responsible Investment Team hold overall responsibility of the ESG process. Whilst this involves some input from senior management, we view it as a crucial component of our investment decision-making process vis-à-vis determining a security’s suitability for portfolio inclusion on responsible grounds, that this ownership sits with the RI Team.

Our RI team conducts research and analysis from publicly available materials including:

  • Company literature (annual reports, websites and sustainability reports)
  • Industry or trade body publications and websites
  • Non-governmental organisations (NGO) reports and websites e.g. Banktrack
  • Government and academic research
  • Investor benchmark initiatives

EdenTree plays a leading and longstanding role across multiple organisations. They are signatories, members and subscribers to a number of industry partnerships and initiatives including:  

Signatory organisations

  • Principles of Responsible Investing (PRI);
  • UK Sustainable Investment & Finance Association (UKSIF);
  • Global Impact Investing Network;
  • UK Stewardship Code FRC;
  • Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC); 
  • Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return (FAIRR);
  • Financing a Just Transition Alliance;
  • World Benchmarking Alliance; 
  • Access to Nutrition Initiative;
  • Access to Medicine Initiative;  

Collaborative engagement initiatives 

  • PRI Advance Human Rights - Human Rights; 
  • IIGCC Banks Working Group - Climate Change;
  • CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project); 
  • Climate Action 100+ - Climate Change;
  • Nature Action 100+  - Biodiversity;
  • Investor Action Group on Anti-Microbial Resistance - Water & AMR;
  • Valuing Water Initiative - Water;
  • Investor Initiative on Hazardous Chemicals - Water & Chemicals;
  • Microfibre pollution initiative - Plastics Pollution;
  • 30% Club Investor Group - Diversity;
  • WBA – Digital Inclusion Group - Digital rights;
  • Good Work Coalition - Good work;
  • Votes Against Slavery - Modern slavery
  • Find it, Fix it, Prevent it initiative on modern slavery  

EdenTree believes these partnerships signals their commitment to having an active and positive role in the investment community. Collaborations are critical to driving change, whilst learning from expert sources allows them to provide more for their clients.    EdenTree also sits on UKSIF’s Analyst Committee, which advises on the development of UKSIF’s knowledge sharing programme on evolving sustainability issues. They also sit on the PRI’s Circular Economy Reference Group, which explores how investors can better integrate the principles of a circular economy into investment processes. EdenTree’s CIO, Charlie Thomas, sits on the IA’s Sustainability and Responsible Investment Committee.

Responsible Investment Advisory Panel Overview

In addition to the review provided by the RI Team, this team itself has independent oversight from an external advisory panel of senior industry practitioners with expertise in the field of responsible investment.   The EdenTree Responsible Investment Advisory Panel (“Panel”) meet three times each year to review the Responsible & Sustainable Fund portfolios, recent investment decisions and to discuss the latest responsible and sustainable research and trends.

The purpose of the Panel is to:

  • Help to ensure that the EdenTree Responsible & Sustainable range of funds meet the stated aims and objectives.
  • Provide advice in the formulation of policy in the light of changing social and environmental issues.   The Panel will provide advice to the RI Team including:
    • Advising on emerging issues or topics relevant to RI criteria.
    • Provide advice and guidance on individual companies or sectors, and engagement work.  

The Panel is made up of a number of industry experts, including:

  • Will Oulton – Panel Chair, (former Head of RI at First Sentier)
  • Mike Barry – Former Director of Sustainable Business
  • Verity Mitchell - Independent Consultant, (former Director of Utilities for HSBC Global Research)
  • Julian Parrott – Client Member, Ethical Futures 
  • Sue Round – Chair of EdenTree Investment Management ACD Board and former CEO
  • Annette Ferguson – Independent Consultant (former Head of Sustainable Business at Vodafone)
  • Paul Simpson OBE – Strategic Advisor (former CEO of CDP).

Dialshifter

This fund is helping to ‘shift the dial from brown to green’ by…

Our responsibility criteria has six different considerations which assess ESG risks and reflect our commitment to responsible investment. One of the six criteria is environment and climate, including support for biodiversity, climate change impact and carbon footprint, water conservation, air pollution, manage waste, recycling, and support renewable energy.

We have four more thematic positive investment themes - one of which is sustainable solutions - this includes products and solutions, the circular economy, green finance, green buildings, renewable energy, water and waste.

 

SDR Labelling:

Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Key Performance Indicators:

This product does not have a UK sustainable investment label (a sustainability label). Although this Fund has sustainable characteristics, it does not have a label because it does not aim to achieve one of the specific sustainability goals associated with the labels.

It is our intention to apply a label to the fund by the end of 2025. However, while we are clear in our intention to achieve an SDR label for this fund, we won’t make significant changes to the way the fund is run in order to make it fit into a certain category or classification as we do not believe it is in the best interests of our clients to do so.

The proportion of the portfolio that meets the requirements of EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach (%) – this measures the proportion of the Fund invested in line with the Manager’s assessment, i.e. EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach. The minimum requirement for this KPI is 70%.

Disclaimer

Regulatory Notice             

To obtain further information please speak to your EdenTree representative, visit www.edentreeim.com or call our support team on 0800 011 3821. This document has been prepared by EdenTree Investment Management Limited for Financial Advisors, other intermediaries and other investment professionals only. It is not suitable for private individuals.

This document has been produced for information purposes only and as such the views contained herein are not to be taken as advice or recommendation to buy or sell any investment or interest thereto. A full explanation of the characteristics of the investments is given in the Key Investor Information Document (KIID). Any forecast, figures, opinions statements of financial market trends or investment techniques and strategies expressed are unless otherwise stated, EdenTree Investment Management’s own at the date of this document. There is no guarantee that any forecast made will come to pass. Please note that the value of an investment and the income from it can fall as well as rise as a result of market and currency fluctuations, you may not get back the amount originally invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future returns.

Fund Name SRI Style SDR Labelling Product Region Asset Type Launch Date Last Amended

EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund

Sustainable Style Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics OEIC UK Equity 13/09/1999 Jun 2025

Objectives

The Fund’s aim is to achieve long-term capital growth over five years or more with an income. The EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund aims to invest at least 80% in a range of UK incorporated companies whose primary listing is in the UK, which the Manager believes offer good potential for long-term capital growth.

Fund Size: £98.75m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Screened Themed SRI Assets: £1638.79m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Responsible Ownership Assets: £1403.01m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

Total Assets Under Management: £3041.81m

(as at: 30/04/2025)

ISIN: GB0008446063, GB0008445982

Contact Us: Clare.Setchfield@edentreeim.com

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Overview

The EdenTree UK Equity Opportunities Fund seeks to invest at least 70% in companies which the Manager believes operate as sustainable businesses. It will therefore identify companies with positive sustainable business characteristics, by following EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach. This approach assesses, in a systematic way, multiple dimensions of sustainability, making for a rounded assessment of a company’s practices. Companies with material exposures to particular aspects of sustainability are assessed more closely on those topics.

Primary fund last amended: Jun 2025

Information received directly from Fund Manager

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Fund Filters

Sustainability - General
Sustainability policy

Funds that have policies that consider (environmental and social) sustainability issues. Strategies vary but are likely to consider environmental issues like climate change, carbon emissions, biodiversity loss, resource management, environmental impacts; and social issues like equal opportunities, human rights, labour standards, diversity and adherence to internationally recognised codes. See fund information.

Sustainability focus

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Sustainable transport policy or theme

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Encourage more sustainable practices through stewardship

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UN Global Compact linked exclusion policy

Find funds that use the UN Global Compact to inform or help direct where they can or cannot invest and will typically not invest in companies with significant breaches (low standards) - although strategies vary. (The UNGC covers a wide range of issues - search 'UNGC'). See https://unglobalcompact.org/

Transition focus

The delivery of the shift to a sustainable future is a core feature of this fund and its investment strategy. See eg https://www.transitionpathwayinitiative.org/

Circular economy theme

Fund has a theme or investment strand focused on the shift to a circular economy (where products are reused and recycled not incinerated or dumped). See eg https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/circular-economy-introduction/overview

Environmental - General
Environmental policy

Funds that have policies which relate to environmental issues. These will typically set out the fund's stance on issues such as pollution, climate change, resource management, biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, plastics and/or additional environmental impacts. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.

Limits exposure to carbon intensive industries

Funds that limit or 'reduce' their exposure to carbon intensive industries (ie sectors which are major contributors to climate change. Funds vary - some funds may be 'underweight' in this area which means they may have some investment in highly carbon intensive areas. Funds of this kind may choose companies they consider to be 'best in sector' and encourage ever higher standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further details.

Environmental damage and pollution policy

Funds that have written policies explaining the approach they take when companies damage the environment or are significant polluters. Funds of this kind may work with companies to encourage higher standards, or exclude companies - sometimes dependent on the situation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Resource efficiency policy or theme

Find funds that have a policy or theme that relates to managing natural resources more efficiently. Funds with this policy will be likely to favour companies that make (or enable the) more efficient use of resources - and either avoid or encourage change amongst companies with lower standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Favours cleaner, greener companies

Funds that aim to invest in companies with strong or market leading environmental policies and practices. Strategies vary - in particular the balance between 'financial' aspects and environmental benefits. Some may invest substantially in solutions or 'positive impact' companies - others may invest in more conventional companies providing certain environmental criteria are met. See fund information for further detail.

Waste management policy or theme

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Nature & Biodiversity
Biodiversity / nature policy

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Nature / biodiversity based solutions theme

A significant focus on investments that aim to protect, improve and, or restore natural habitat.

Deforestation / palm oil policy

Find funds that have policies in place designed to ensure they do not invest in companies that are significantly involved in deforestation. This typically relates to palm oil plantations where biodiversity loss is a major concern (as well as other issues). Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Illegal deforestation exclusion policy

Find funds that have policies in place explaining that they avoid companies involved in illegal and/or unsustainable deforestation. This may relate to palm oil, cattle farming or other concerns. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Responsible palm oil policy

Fund has a responsible palm oil policy which is likely to focus on the producers of palm oil and deforestation issues with a view to informing investment decisions (and / or engagement) to support and encourage high standards.

Sustainable fisheries policy

Fund has a sustainable fisheries policy that will inform where it can and can not invest

Water stewardship policy

Fund has a policy which sets out their expectations for how investee assets should manage water

Climate Change & Energy
Climate change / greenhouse gas emissions policy

Funds that have policies (documented strategies that explain their position on) climate change related issues such as greenhouse gas/carbon emissions, net zero, transitioning to lower carbon. Strategies vary. Read fund details for further information.

Coal, oil & / or gas majors excluded

Funds that avoid investing in major coal, oil and/or gas (extraction) companies. Funds vary: some may exclude all companies that extract oil. Others may have exposure to oil extraction via more diversified energy companies. See fund literature to confirm details.

Fracking and tar sands excluded

Funds that avoid companies involved in fracking and tar sands - which are widely regarded as controversial methods of oil and gas extraction. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.

Arctic drilling exclusion

Funds that avoid companies that are involved in extracting oil from the Arctic regions. See fund literature for further details.

Fossil fuel reserves exclusion

Funds that avoid investing in companies with coal, oil and gas reserves. See fund information for further details.

Clean / renewable energy theme or focus

Find funds where investment in clean / renewable energy companies an other assets is central to their investment selection strategy. The proportion of the fund that is directly or indirectly invested in renewable energy varies between funds and over time. See fund information for further details.

Encourage transition to low carbon through stewardship activity

A core element of these funds will aim to encourage the transition to lower carbon activities through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement / voting activity

Energy efficiency theme

Fund funds that have an energy efficiency theme - typically meaning that a fund manager is focused on investing in organisations that manage - or help others to manage - energy use more carefully and less wastefully - and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Invests in clean energy / renewables

Funds that hold companies in the clean energy and renewable energy sectors (at the time research was supplied). Fund strategies vary, in particular the proportion of investment in these areas may vary significantly. Check fund literature for details.

Nuclear exclusion policy

Find funds that have policies which say they avoid or limit their investment in the nuclear industry. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Supply chain decarbonisation policy

Fund has a supply chain decarbonisation policy which sets out its position on the need to reduce carbon emissions throughout the investment chain. This will inform where the manager can and can not invest.

Fossil fuel exploration exclusion - direct involvement

The fund manager excludes companies with direct involvement in fossil fuel exploration (eg coal, oil and gas companies)

Paris aligned fund strategy

This fund has a strategy that aims ensure its holdings will gradually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets set at COP21 in Paris. The ultimate aim is to achieve ‘net zero emissions by 2050’ and a ‘maximum global temperature increase of +1.5 to +2 degrees above preindustrial levels’. Strategies and opinions vary. Read fund information.

Require net zero action plan from all/most companies

Find funds that require all, or almost all, of the companies it invests in to have a ‘net zero action plan’ - meaning that the companies they invest in have worked out how they will, over time, reduce their total carbon (and other greenhouse gas) emissions to nil.

Social / Employment
Social policy

Find funds that have policies which set out their approach to social issues (e.g. human rights, labour standards, equal opportunities, child labour and adherence to internationally recognised codes such as the UN Global Compact). Funds with social policies typically avoid companies with low standards or work to encourage higher standards. See fund information for detail.

Labour standards policy

Find funds that have a labour standards policy - which can be expected to mean that the fund will invest in / favour companies that have higher standards in this area - although fund strategies can vary significantly (as with all policy areas). See eg https://www.ilo.org/international-labour-standards

Favours companies with strong social policies

Find funds that invest in line with positive strategies that relate to 'people' issues - such as having strong human rights, labour standards and equal opportunities practices. Such funds are likely to invest in companies that have market leading standards with regard to employee and supplier practices. Read fund literature for further information.

Health & wellbeing policies or theme

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Diversity, equality & inclusion Policy (fund level)

Find individual funds that have a written diversity policy – where the fund manager will aim to select companies with a carefully considered, sound approach to diversity. This should ideally cover a range of issues including gender, ethnicity, disability, beliefs, sexual orientation, etc.

Mining exclusion

All mining companies excluded

Vulnerable / gig workers protection policy

Fund has a policy aimed at protecting vulnerable workers such as those on zero hour / informal contracts working in the gig economy

Ethical Values Led Exclusions
Tobacco and related products - avoid where revenue > 5%

Companies are excluded if they make more than 5% of their revenue from the manufacture, sale or distribution of tobacco products including cigarettes, vaping, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars.

Controversial weapons exclusion

Find funds that exclude companies which make controversial weapons such as landmines, cluster munitions and chemical weapons. See fund literature for further information.

Armaments manufacturers avoided

Find funds that avoid companies that manufacture products intended specifically for military use. Fund strategies vary - particularly with regard to non-strategic military products. See fund literature for fund specific details.

Military involvement exclusion

Find funds that avoid companies with military contracts of any kind. This may include medical supplies, food, safety equipment, housing, etc. Fund strategies vary. See fund liteterature for more information.

Civilian firearms production exclusion

Find funds with a written civilian firearms exclusion policy - meaning that they will not invest in companies that make (or perhaps also sell) handguns made for non-military users.

Alcohol production excluded

Find funds that avoid investment in companies involved in the production of alcohol. Strategies vary; some funds allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund literature for further information.

Gambling avoidance policy

Find funds that avoid companies with significant involvement in the gambling industry. Some funds may allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund policy for further details.

Pornography avoidance policy

Find funds that avoid companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary. See fund details for further information.

Animal welfare policy

Find funds with policies that require specific animal welfare standards to be met. These may reference well-known welfare standards (3Rs - Replace, Reduce, Refine) or certification schemes. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Animal testing - excluded except if for medical purposes

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Human Rights
Human rights policy

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Child labour exclusion

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Oppressive regimes (not free or democratic) exclusion policy

Find funds with policies that exclude companies or other assets where regimes are not democratic, or where people may be oppressed. May use eg. Freedom House research. Strategies vary. See fund literature for further information.

Responsible supply chain policy or theme

Find funds that have policies or a theme that relates to the responsible management of supply chains. These may relate to employment issues, notably people employed by their suppliers, as well as the sourcing of materials and products. See fund literature for further information.

Modern slavery exclusion policy

The fund has a policy which excludes assets with involvement in Modern Slavery

Meeting Peoples' Basic Needs
Water / sanitation policy or theme

Find funds that have policies or themes that set out their position on investment in the water sector and/or sanitation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Healthcare / medical theme

Healthcare and or medical theme or area of investment - the fund may have a single theme or many themes

Antimicrobial resistance policy

Fund has a policy on ‘antimicrobial resistance’ - which is when organisms that cause infection can survive treatment - which is commonly associated with the overuse of antibiotics in factory farming and a threat to our health.

Banking & Financials
Invests in banks

Find funds that include banks as part of their holdings / portfolio.

Only invest in TCFD (ISSB) aligned banks / financial institutions

Find fund managers that only invest in banks and other financial institutions that implement the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures recommendations on climate change related financial disclosures - which aim to help financial markets measure and respond to climate risk.

Exclude banks with significant fossil fuel investments

Will avoid banks that have a large part of their loan book (or other assets) invested in fossil fuels companies - particular coal, oil and gas.

Exclude insurers of major fossil fuel companies

Find funds that avoid investing in insurance companies that insure major fossil fuels companies – particularly coal, oil and gas. Strategies (eg definition of ‘major’) vary. See fund literature for further information.

Invests in insurers

Funds that do or may invest in insurance companies.

Governance & Management
Governance policy

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Avoids companies with poor governance

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UN sanctions exclusion

Exclude companies that are subject to United Nations sanctions. See eg https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list

Anti-bribery and corruption policy

Find funds that have policies explaining how managers will respond to assets / companies that do not comply with relevant anti-bribery and anti-corruption standards or laws. Strategies vary; options include stewardship/ engagement and divestment - or a combination. See fund literature for further information.

Encourage board diversity e.g. gender

Fund managers encourage the companies they invest in to have more diverse board structures (e.g. more women on boards)

Encourage TCFD alignment for banks & insurance companies

Find fund managers that encourage the banks and insurance companies they invest in to publish climate change related financial information - as set out by the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (with the aim of helping investors measure and respond to climate risk).

Encourage higher ESG standards through stewardship activity

A core element of these funds will aim to encourage higher ESG standards through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement /voting activity

Require investee companies to report climate risk in R&A

The fund manager requires the companies they invest in to report on climate risks that are relevant to their business in their report and accounts

Fund Governance
ESG integration strategy

Find funds that factor in 'environmental, social and governance' issues as part of their investment decision making process. A focus on 'ESG' typically means a fund is carrying out additional research to help reduce ESG related risks. It does not necessarily mean a focus on sustainability. Strategies vary. See fund literature.

ESG factors included in Assessment of Value (AoV) report

Environmental, social and governance issues are part of this fund’s reporting of their ‘value’ to clients. AoV reporting is a statutory requirement. Including ESG factors in its calculation is not.

Asset Size
Invests in small, mid and large cap companies / assets

Find a fund that invests in a combination of small, medium and larger (potentially multinational)companies.

Targeted Positive Investments
Invests >25% of fund in environmental/social solutions companies

Find funds that invest >25% of their capital towards companies where a major part of their business is focused on helping to address environmental or social challenges.

Invests >50% of fund in environmental/social solutions companies

Find funds that invest >50% of their capital in companies where a major part of their business is focused on helping to address environmental or social challenges.

Impact Methodologies
Positive environmental impact theme

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Positive social impact theme

Find funds that specifically state that they aim to deliver positive social (i.e. people related) impacts and/or outcomes.

Invests in environmental solutions companies

Find funds that direct investment towards companies where a major part of their business is about solving environmental challenges. e.g. companies helping to address climate change.

Invests in social solutions companies

Find funds that invest in companies where a major part of their business is specifically aimed at helping to address social challenges. e.g. companies helping to address poverty.

Invests in sustainability / ESG disruptors

Find funds that specifically set out to invest in companies that are regarded as 'disrupting' existing business practices - typically through the development of innovative (sustainability aware) products and/or practices.

Aim to deliver positive impacts through engagement

Fund aims to deliver positive environmental and or social impacts (real world benefits) through its engagement with investee assets

Publish ‘theory of change’ explanation

This fund has an explanation of the way in which the manager believes things need to change in order to deliver a more sustainable future, which they are working to help achieve.

How The Fund Works
Positive selection bias

Find funds that focus on finding and investing in companies with positive / beneficial attributes. This strategy can be applied in addition to exclusion criteria and engagement/stewardship activity.

Negative selection bias

Find funds where their main 'ethical approach' is to avoid companies by using negative screening criteria. Read fund literature for further information.

Strictly screened ethical fund

Find funds where their main approach is to apply positive or negative ethical, social and / or environmental screens. Strictly screened funds are likely to exclude more companies than other related fund options. See fund literature for further information.

ESG weighted / tilt

Find funds that invest more heavily in those that have higher ESG ratings/standards or scores and less heavily in companies with lower ESG ratings. Where this is central to a fund's strategy you should expect it to invest in most sectors. Strategies vary.

Significant harm exclusion

Aims to avoid companies that do significant harm. This originates from the EU’s sustainable finance ‘DNSH’ (do no significant harm) work, which is not necessarily used by UK investors.

Combines norms based exclusions with other SRI criteria

Find funds that make significant use of internationally agreed 'norms' (e.g. United Nations Global Compact - UNGC - or the UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs) as part of their investment selection process alongside additional SRI criteria such as positive or negative stock selection policies and/or stewardship strategies.

Combines ESG strategy with other SRI criteria

Find funds that have an ESG strategy (which is typically focused on avoiding companies that pose environmental, social or governance related risks) with additional criteria such as positive and/or negative screens, themes and stewardship strategies.

Focus on ESG risk mitigation

A major focus of these funds is the careful management of environmental, social and governance (ESG) related risks - typically by avoiding or being underweight in companies seen as posing major risks in these areas (i.e. not necessarily by using themes, exclusions etc).

SRI / ESG / Ethical policies explained on website

Find funds that have published explanations of their ethical, social and/or environmental policies online (i.e. fund decision making strategies/ buy/sell &/or asset management strategies).

Do not use stock / securities lending

This fund does not use stock lending for performance or risk purposes.

Unscreened Assets & Cash
Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives 70 - 79%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets.

Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives 80 – 89%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets.

Assets typically aligned to sustainability objectives > 90%

The percentage of assets held within the fund that match the fund’s sustainability objectives and are not being held purely for risk management purposes, such as derivatives and cash equivalent assets

All assets (except cash) meet published sustainability criteria

All assets held in the fund - except cash - meet the sustainability criteria published in fund documentation.

Intended Clients & Product Options
Intended for investors interested in sustainability

Finds funds designed to meet the needs of individual investors with an interest in sustainability issues.

Intended for clients interested in ethical issues

Find funds designed for clients who care about ethical and values-based issues, often alongside sustainability issues also.

Available via an ISA (OEIC only)

Find funds that are available via a tax efficient ISA product wrapper.

Labels & Accreditations
ACT signatory

A voluntary corporate culture standard for investment managers, see https://www.investorsact.com/ - City Hive

Fund Management Company Information

About The Business
Boutique / specialist fund management company

Find fund management companies that are smaller or specialise in particular areas - notably, ideally ESG related. Strategies vary.

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

Finds fund management companies that have a published company wide stewardship, engagement and / or responsible ownership policy or strategy that covers all investments. Stewardship typically involves encouraging higher ESG standards through voting and dialogue.

ESG / SRI engagement (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that actively encourage higher 'environmental, social and governance' and/or 'sustainable and responsible investment' practices across investee companies - typically where the aim is to encourage positive change that is aligned with the best interests of investors. Strategies vary. See additional information and options.

Vote all* shares at AGMs / EGMs (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that vote all* the shares they own at Annual General Meetings and Extraordinary General Meetings. A commitment to voting shares is a key indicator of 'responsible share ownership' demonstrating their support for or disagreement with management policy. (*situations can legitimately, occasionally occur where voting proves impossible, but in principle all shares should be voted.)

Responsible ownership / ESG a key differentiator (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that consider responsible ownership and ESG to be a key differentiator for their business.

Sustainable property strategy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that take sustainability criteria into account when selecting and/or managing all of their property / real estate investments.

Senior management KPIs include environmental goals (AFM company wide)

The leadership team of this asset manager have performance targets linked to environmental goals.

Integrates ESG factors into all / most (AFM) fund research

Find fund management companies that consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues when deciding whether or not to invest in a company for all / almost all of their funds and other assets. This is increasingly seen as part of sound risk management.

In-house diversity improvement programme (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have an in-house (company wide) diversity improvement programme - meaning that they are working to ensure that within their own businesses they employ people from diverse backgrounds - often typically focused on ethnicity and/or sex.

Diversity, equality & inclusion engagement policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that encourage the companies they invest in to have strong diversity, race, gender and other equality policies across all assets held, not simply screened or themed SRI/ESG funds. (ie Asset Management company wide).

Vulnerable client policy on website (AFM company wide)

Asset manager has information on their website that explains how they treat 'vulnerable clients' (as set out in FCA regulation)

Invests in newly listed companies (AFM company wide)

This asset management company invests in companies which have recently listed on a stock exchange (which is important as it can help grow new businesses).

Invests in new sustainability linked bond issuances (AFM company wide)

Asset management company has investments in bonds designed to meet sustainability requirements - however these assets may not be 'ringfenced' for this purpose. See fund manager website for details.

Offer structured intermediary training on sustainable investment

Fund management entity offers unstructured intermediary training on sustainable investment (ie for financial advisers and wealth managers)

Offer unstructured intermediary sustainable investment training

Fund management entity offers unstructured intermediary training on sustainable investment (ie for financial advisers and wealth managers)

Collaborations & Affiliations
PRI signatory

Find fund management companies that have signed up to the UN backed 'Principles of Responsible Investment'.

UKSIF member

Find fund management companies that are members of UKSIF - the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance association

Fund EcoMarket partner

Find fund management companies that have partnered with Fund EcoMarket - meaning that they are helping to improve access to information on sustainable and responsible investment by paying an annual fee to us which enables us to publish information for free. Partner funds are listed ahead of other funds and have their logos displayed.

Investment Association (IA) member

Fund management entity is a member of the Investment Association https://www.theia.org/

Resources
In-house responsible ownership / voting expertise

Find fund management companies that employ people to steer and support fund managers in voting shares at company AGM's and EGMs in ways that are consistent with encouraging higher ESG/sustainability standards.

Employ specialist ESG / SRI / sustainability researchers

Find a fund management company that directly employs specialist ESG/SRI/sustainability researchers or analysts. This allows asset managers to discuss environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities directly with companies.

Use specialist ESG / SRI / sustainability research companies

Find fund management companies that makes use of expert external research companies. This can help deliver specialist expertise and means resources are pooled with other investors.

Accreditations
PRI A+ rated (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have an A+ PRI rating - meaning they are highly rated according to the 'Principles of Responsible Investment'

UK Stewardship Code signatory (AFM company wide)

Find fund managers that are signatories to the FRC UK Stewardship Code, which sets out a framework for constructive investor / investee relations where fund managers are encouraged to behave like responsible, typically longer term 'company owners'.

Engagement Approach
Regularly lead collaborative ESG initiatives (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that regularly initiate or run industry wide (collaborative) investor projects aimed at raising environmental, social and governance standards amongst investee companies.

Encourage responsible corporate taxation (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage more responsible corporate taxation.

Engaging on climate change issues

Fund manager has stewardship /responsible ownership strategy that is focused on addressing climate change with investee assets.

Engaging with fossil fuel companies on climate change

Asset manager has a stewardship /responsible ownership strategy that involves working with fossil fuel companies on climate change related issues. See fund manager website for details.

Engaging to reduce plastics pollution / waste

Asset manager has stewardship /responsible ownership strategy with involves encouraging investee asset to reduce plastic waste and pollution.

Engaging on biodiversity / nature issues

The asset manager has a responsible ownership / stewardship strategy that focuses on biodiversity and nature issues relating to the assets they invest the aim of which will be to reduce harm and or deliver improvement. Strategies vary. https://tnfd.global

Engaging to encourage a Just Transition

Asset manager has a responsible ownership / stewardship strategy which means they are working to encourage the shift to more sustainable business practices in ways that respect and are sensitive to social issues and the impact change has on people effected by the changes that are taking place. https://www.transitionpathwayinitiative.org/ https://transitiontaskforce.net/

Engaging on human rights issues

Asset manager has responsible ownership / stewardship strategy in place which aims to address human rights issues in investee companies (and potentially their suppliers) with the aim of raising standards

Engaging on labour / employment issues

Asset manager has responsible ownership / stewardship strategy in place that aims to improve labour standards for the benefit of employees in investee companies (and potentially their suppliers)

Engaging on diversity, equality and / or inclusion issues

Asset management company has a stewardship strategy in place which involves working to raise diversity, equality and inclusion standards across investee assets

Engaging to stop modern slavery

working with the assets they hold to help stamp out modern slavery - where direct or indirect company employees are exploited for business benefits.

Engaging on governance issues

Fund managers have stewardship strategies in place that focus on improving governance standards across investee assets

Engaging on responsible supply chain issues

Has a stewardship / responsible ownership strategy that encourages responsible supply chain - ie the managers will discuss environmental, social and governance issues with investee companies with the aim of raising standards

Engaging on the responsible use of AI

Working to address sustainability, ESG and related concerns around artificial intelligence.

Stewardship escalation policy

Escalation policies describe how a manager will proceed if stewardship / engagement activity is not successful in the short term.

Company Wide Exclusions
Controversial weapons avoidance policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies (not funds) that avoid investment in 'controversial weapons' across all of their funds and other investment vehicles.

Fossil fuel exclusion policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that avoid investment in fossil fuel companies (e.g. coal, oil and gas) across all of their funds. (and/ or other assets.)

Coal exclusion policy (group wide coal mining exclusion policy)

This asset manager excludes direct investment in the coal mining industry. Managers ability to do this may depend on the geographic regions in which they invest.

Do not invest in companies with fossil fuel reserves

Asset management company excludes companies with fossil fuel reserves across all assets/funds

Climate & Net Zero Transition
Net Zero commitment (AFM company wide)

Fund management organisations that have pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net zero’. Strategies vary - this area is changing rapidly.

Voting policy includes net zero targets (AFM company wide)

Fund manager AGM / EGM voting strategy has processes in place that mean they will normally be expected to vote in a way that will encourage the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Net Zero - have set a Net Zero target date (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has set a date by which they plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.

Encourage carbon / greenhouse gas reduction (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.

‘Forward Looking Climate Metrics’ published / ITR (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have published ‘forward looking climate metrics’ e.g. 'implied temperature rise' data that are a total of the asset management company's share (% owned) of all the investee company emissions of the assets they manage, as well as their own direct and other indirect emissions.

Committed to SBTi / Science Based Targets Initiative

See https://sciencebasedtargets.org/

Transparency
Publish responsible ownership / stewardship report (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that publish a report detailing their responsible investment ownership - also known as 'Stewardship' - activity.

Full SRI / responsible ownership policy information on company website

Find companies that publish information about their sustainable and responsible investment strategies on their company website.

Full SRI / responsible ownership policy information available on request

Find fund management companies that will supply information about their sustainable and responsible investment activity on request.

Publish full voting record (AFM company wide)

Fund management companies that publish a full record of how they vote their shares at AGMs (annual general meetings) and EGMs (extraordinary general meetings). Voting strategies have an important role to play encouraging higher environmental, social and governance standards.

Dialshifter statement

Find fund management companies that have supplied Dialshifter information. See Dialshifter tab within record for more information.

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Policy:

Sustainability Approach

Companies operating as sustainable businesses

The Fund seeks to invest at least 70% in companies identified which operate sustainable businesses. Following EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach, these companies are assessed in a systematic way, considering multiple dimensions of social and environmental sustainability to encompass a rounded assessment of a company’s practices

Sustainability criteria and themes

The suitability of potential assets is assessed across six key areas of sustainable business practice: Climate Change & Environment, Employment & Labour, Human Rights, Business Ethics, Community and Corporate Governance. In addition, investments aligned to the following sustainability themes are also favoured: Education & Financial Inclusion, Health & Wellbeing, Sustainable Solutions, and Social Infrastructure

Excluded sectors and activities:

  • The Fund will avoid investment in companies which have a material involvement (10% or more) in alcohol and tobacco production, conventional weapon production, gambling, publication of violent or explicit materials, intensive farming, fossil fuel exploration and production and high interest (sub-prime) lending.
  • It will also avoid companies that have exposure to the manufacture of unconventional weapons, where these are defined as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, land mines and cluster bombs.
  • The Fund will seek to avoid companies using animals to test cosmetics, beauty or household products.

Oppressive Regimes

  • The Fund will avoid companies and governments with material operations in oppressive regimes.
  • The Fund’s proprietary means of assessing oppressive regime risk is based on an assessment by Freedom House and Transparency International and operates on a case-by-case basis.

For further information on our screening process please see Oppressive Regimes.

Process:

With the aim of spreading risk our portfolios are well diversified and comprising between 55-70 stocks, with a typical new holding being around 1% and no stock accounting for more than 5% of a Fund. We use a broad spread of counterparties and do not participate in stock lending. We strongly believe in the merits of low portfolio turnover, believing that high trading activity acts as a drag on performance.

EdenTree Uk Equity Opps process.png

We pride ourselves on our independent thought and analysis and are not afraid to adopt positions which do not conform to conventional thinking or prevailing consensus. We do not have model portfolios or preferred stock lists, preferring to give fund managers the flexibility and responsibility to implement investment strategies that best match the needs of our investors. Finally, our investment process places a strong emphasis on portfolio diversification at all levels, including geographical, sector, company size and investment theme, with the aim of reducing risk.

Responsible Investment

Concurrently, the Responsible Investment (RI) Team will screen the companies for their responsible and sustainable attributes. All ideas are required to pass our negative and positive screens in order for investment to go ahead. The RI Team has final sanction on excluding from investment any proposed idea. The Team will then assess whether the company’s mid to long-term valuation is justified based on their interpretation of the intrinsic value of the stock which arises from interpreting the information gathered in the process articulated above.

Stock Selection

We look for businesses that are capable of strong secular growth, but where that growth is underrated by the market and an appreciation of this will lead to a rerating. Thus we expect to benefit from both underlying growth and rerating driving superior returns. There are three types of growth we look for:

Dependable

  • Consistent over cycle growth up to 15%
  • High quality earnings and cash flows, power of compounding drives superior returns

Super Growth

  • Higher growth 15%pa+
  • Emerging or established growth markets
  • Requirement to watch cash conversion and expansion plans more carefully, but higher returns outweigh higher risk

Incubator

  • Market-Cap typically <£100m, lack of coverage but potentially Mid Cap entrants
  • High value add with own research and helping and supporting management as advisor

Our objective is to buy companies with high margins, high returns on capital and strong free cash flow as well as high growth. We avoid any form of creative accounting, especially the lack of conversion of profits into cash. We believe that significant leverage is toxic for shareholder returns and thus focus on low levels of leverage. We rate highly those companies that return excess capital to shareholders and avoid the temptation to make value destroying acquisitions.

We take a long-term view and make investments on this basis. However, circumstances change and we keep all of our investments under review to ensure they continue to deliver against the Fund’s objectives.

We undertake detailed fundamental analysis of our investments believing that structural mispricing is prevalent in small and mid-cap companies and that we can add significant value by our own due diligence and forecasting. We place a strong emphasis on company visits to really understand the value drivers of our companies. Investments are identified through a broad range of research resources both through trusted brokers and our own research.

 

Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:

The five person Responsible Investment (RI) Team is part of the wider Investment Team, and provides the specialist in-house resource for ESG screening, engagement, voting and thought-leadership. All members of the Investment Team are required to have an understanding of responsible and sustainable investing, and to include this into their thinking and analysis for the Responsible & Sustainable & Green fund range. The RI analysis is subject to peer review by the whole team with agreed sign off to ensure quality control and consistency. Our dedicated RI Team biographies are detailed below:  

  • Carlota Esguevillas, Head of Responsible Investment – Prior to joining the firm, Carlota worked for a leading sustainability consultancy advising global companies on their ESG strategies and disclosures. She holds a First-Class Honours BA in Geography from Oxford University, a master’s certificate with distinction in Business & Human Rights from Bergen University, and the Investment Management Certificate (IMC). She is also a member of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association’s (UKSIF) Industry Development Committee.
  • Amelia Gaston, Senior Responsible Investment Analyst – Amelia holds a BA in Geography from Durham University and previously worked as a Responsible Investment Analyst at LGPS Central, one of the UK Pension Pools. Amelia holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC) and CFA Certificate in ESG Investing. She leads EdenTree’s work on climate and environmental issues.
  • Hayley Grafton, Senior Responsible Investment Analyst – Hayley leads on the firm's approach to corporate governance and proxy voting. She holds the Investment Management Certificate (IMC), and is a member of the StePs (Stewardship Professionals) Association. Previously, Hayley worked at Mercer, where she focused on the firm's stewardship approach and activity across portfolio funds in her role as a Sustainable Investment Specialist.
  • Cordelia Dower-Tylee, Responsible Investment Analyst – Cordelia holds an MA in History from the University of Edinburgh, and a Certificate in Sustainable Finance from the University of Cambridge. She has previously worked with the International Water Management Institute and has experience in a green-focused corporate advisory firm. She leads EdenTree’s environmental work, with an emphasis on water, and supports the company’s work on governance.
  • Aaron Cox, Impact Strategist – Aaron joined EdenTree in June 2022 and is Impact Strategist within the Responsible Investment Team. Prior to joining EdenTree, Aaron had roles at First State Investments (now First Sentier), Jupiter and Majedie and as a writer and researcher with a focus on ESG and sustainable investing. He started his career as a derivatives broker in Sydney.  Aaron has a BA in English from the University of New South Wales, Post Grad Certificate in Environmental Economics from SOAS and Certificate in Sustainable Investing from Harvard Business School.  He is currently undertaking a post graduate research project at Birmingham University on computational linguistic methods to identify sustainability stretch goal tensions and the risk of greenwashing and corporate misbehaviour.

 

ESG risk exposure is constantly monitored by our data providers, ISS & Sustainalytics, who flag potential violations of global norms. In addition, if any of our holdings breach our screens, we are immediately notified by our data providers and can then review the breach with the ultimate sanction of divestment if we deem it necessary. Furthermore, periodically stocks and instruments held within our funds are reviewed by the RI Team to ensure that they remain suitable, whilst the team monitors any negative news flow, engaging with companies to provide clarity and assess the risk level involved.

Our Responsible Investment Team hold overall responsibility of the ESG process. Whilst this involves some input from senior management, we view it as a crucial component of our investment decision-making process vis-à-vis determining a security’s suitability for portfolio inclusion on responsible grounds, that this ownership sits with the RI Team.

Our RI team conducts research and analysis from publicly available materials including:

  • Company literature (annual reports, websites and sustainability reports)
  • Industry or trade body publications and websites
  • Non-governmental organisations (NGO) reports and websites e.g. Banktrack
  • Government and academic research
  • Investor benchmark initiatives

EdenTree plays a leading and longstanding role across multiple organisations. They are signatories, members and subscribers to a number of industry partnerships and initiatives including:  

Signatory organisations

  • Principles of Responsible Investing (PRI);
  • UK Sustainable Investment & Finance Association (UKSIF);
  • Global Impact Investing Network;
  • UK Stewardship Code FRC;
  • Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC); 
  • Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return (FAIRR);
  • Financing a Just Transition Alliance;
  • World Benchmarking Alliance; 
  • Access to Nutrition Initiative;
  • Access to Medicine Initiative;  

Collaborative engagement initiatives 

  • PRI Advance Human Rights - Human Rights; 
  • IIGCC Banks Working Group - Climate Change;
  • CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project); 
  • Climate Action 100+ - Climate Change;
  • Nature Action 100+  - Biodiversity;
  • Investor Action Group on Anti-Microbial Resistance - Water & AMR;
  • Valuing Water Initiative - Water;
  • Investor Initiative on Hazardous Chemicals - Water & Chemicals;
  • Microfibre pollution initiative - Plastics Pollution;
  • 30% Club Investor Group - Diversity;
  • WBA – Digital Inclusion Group - Digital rights;
  • Good Work Coalition - Good work;
  • Votes Against Slavery - Modern slavery
  • Find it, Fix it, Prevent it initiative on modern slavery  

EdenTree believes these partnerships signals their commitment to having an active and positive role in the investment community. Collaborations are critical to driving change, whilst learning from expert sources allows them to provide more for their clients.    EdenTree also sits on UKSIF’s Analyst Committee, which advises on the development of UKSIF’s knowledge sharing programme on evolving sustainability issues. They also sit on the PRI’s Circular Economy Reference Group, which explores how investors can better integrate the principles of a circular economy into investment processes. EdenTree’s CIO, Charlie Thomas, sits on the IA’s Sustainability and Responsible Investment Committee.

Responsible Investment Advisory Panel Overview

In addition to the review provided by the RI Team, this team itself has independent oversight from an external advisory panel of senior industry practitioners with expertise in the field of responsible investment.   The EdenTree Responsible Investment Advisory Panel (“Panel”) meet three times each year to review the Responsible & Sustainable Fund portfolios, recent investment decisions and to discuss the latest responsible and sustainable research and trends.

The purpose of the Panel is to:

  • Help to ensure that the EdenTree Responsible & Sustainable range of funds meet the stated aims and objectives.
  • Provide advice in the formulation of policy in the light of changing social and environmental issues.   The Panel will provide advice to the RI Team including:
    • Advising on emerging issues or topics relevant to RI criteria.
    • Provide advice and guidance on individual companies or sectors, and engagement work.  

The Panel is made up of a number of industry experts, including:

  • Will Oulton – Panel Chair, (former Head of RI at First Sentier)
  • Mike Barry – Former Director of Sustainable Business
  • Verity Mitchell - Independent Consultant, (former Director of Utilities for HSBC Global Research)
  • Julian Parrott – Client Member, Ethical Futures 
  • Sue Round – Chair of EdenTree Investment Management ACD Board and former CEO
  • Annette Ferguson – Independent Consultant (former Head of Sustainable Business at Vodafone)
  • Paul Simpson OBE – Strategic Advisor (former CEO of CDP).

Dialshifter (Fund)

This fund is helping to ‘shift the dial from brown to green’ by…

Our responsibility criteria has six different considerations which assess ESG risks and reflect our commitment to responsible investment. One of the six criteria is environment and climate, including support for biodiversity, climate change impact and carbon footprint, water conservation, air pollution, manage waste, recycling, and support renewable energy.

We have four more thematic positive investment themes - one of which is sustainable solutions - this includes products and solutions, the circular economy, green finance, green buildings, renewable energy, water and waste.

 

Dialshifter (Corporate)

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

We aim to decarbonise our Funds in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement. We have set two climate-targets for each of our Funds, designed to position our Funds onto a 1.5C-aligned pathway.

Our parent, the Benefact Group, worked with its subsidiary businesses and partners to deliver net zero direct impact (scopes 1&2) in 2023 and will work for net zero across all scopes (1, 2 & 3) by 2040. As a Group subsidiary we form part of this overall net zero ambition. Our scope 1 & 2 emissions are fully covered under the Group’s targets, as are the portfolios we manage on behalf of the Group.

SDR Labelling:

Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Key Performance Indicators:

This product does not have a UK sustainable investment label (a sustainability label). Although this Fund has sustainable characteristics, it does not have a label because it does not aim to achieve one of the specific sustainability goals associated with the labels.

It is our intention to apply a label to the fund by the end of 2025. However, while we are clear in our intention to achieve an SDR label for this fund, we won’t make significant changes to the way the fund is run in order to make it fit into a certain category or classification as we do not believe it is in the best interests of our clients to do so.

The proportion of the portfolio that meets the requirements of EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach (%) – this measures the proportion of the Fund invested in line with the Manager’s assessment, i.e. EdenTree’s Sustainability Approach. The minimum requirement for this KPI is 70%.

Disclaimer

Regulatory Notice             

To obtain further information please speak to your EdenTree representative, visit www.edentreeim.com or call our support team on 0800 011 3821. This document has been prepared by EdenTree Investment Management Limited for Financial Advisors, other intermediaries and other investment professionals only. It is not suitable for private individuals.

This document has been produced for information purposes only and as such the views contained herein are not to be taken as advice or recommendation to buy or sell any investment or interest thereto. A full explanation of the characteristics of the investments is given in the Key Investor Information Document (KIID). Any forecast, figures, opinions statements of financial market trends or investment techniques and strategies expressed are unless otherwise stated, EdenTree Investment Management’s own at the date of this document. There is no guarantee that any forecast made will come to pass. Please note that the value of an investment and the income from it can fall as well as rise as a result of market and currency fluctuations, you may not get back the amount originally invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future returns.