AXA Global Strategic Bond Fund

SRI Style:

Unclassified

SDR Labelling:

Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Product:

OEIC

Fund Region:

Global

Fund Asset Type:

Fixed Interest

Launch Date:

19/10/2020

Last Amended:

Apr 2022

Dialshifter ():

Fund Size:

£73.22m

(as at: 31/12/2021)

Total Assets Under Management:

£745.46m

ISIN:

GB00BMZCH694, GB00BMZCH587, GB00BMZCH363, GB00BMZCH470

Sustainable, Responsible
&/or ESG Overview:

Awaiting update from fund manager (July 2024)

 

The fund aims to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns over an economic cycle, whilst integrating ESG considerations throughout the investment process. We target a better overall ESG score than a proxy benchmark, which consists of a blend of G7 government bonds, global investment grade credit and global high yield – thereby broadly representing the strategy’s investible universe. The ESG score changes depending on the fund’s asset allocation or the scores of the underlying issuers, whose scores are updated twice yearly. To ensure a fair comparison with the benchmark over time, we run a dynamic strategic asset allocation rebalancing process on the benchmark to ensure alignment with the strategy’s asset allocation evolution. The portfolio’s ESG quality is monitored through ESG scoring made available to the investment team through internal platforms RISE and RI Search. Several KPIs are reported including carbon intensity, water consumption, % of independent directors, etc., compared to the proxy benchmark.

 

Primary fund last amended:

Apr 2022

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

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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/

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Ethical Values Led Exclusions
Ethical policies

Find funds that have policies that set out their position on ethical or 'personal values' based issues. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Tobacco and related product manufacturers excluded

Companies are excluded if they are involved in any aspect of the production chain for tobacco products, including cigarettes, vaping, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars.

Human Rights
Human rights policy

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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.

Gilts & Sovereigns
Gilts / government bonds - exclude some

Find funds that avoid investing in 'some' gilts or government bonds. Strategies vary, but this may relate to avoiding specific countries or particular reasons for bond issuance. 'Green gilts' for example would be likely to be acceptable. See fund literature for further information.

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 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

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.

How The Fund Works
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.

Selection criteria / strategy may alter in adverse markets

Finds funds that may alter/soften or move away from their regular ESG/sustainability/ethical investment selection criteria when investment market conditions become difficult

Data led strategy

Find funds that make stock selection (and ongoing fund management) decisions based on ESG data or company ratings (normally supplied by third parties) rather than focusing on what individual companies do, how they operate or their plans for the future

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.

Assets mapped to SDGs

Find funds that have 'mapped' (reviewed) their investment selection and management strategies to identify which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the fund is helping to address.

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.

Norms focus

Find funds that use internationally agreed standards, conventions and 'norms' to help direct where the fund can and cannot invest (e.g. the UN Global Compact, UN Sustainable Development Goals). Read fund literature for further information.

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).

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.

Portfolio SRI / ESG options available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Finds those that offer an SRI / ESG portfolio option

Multiple SRI / ESG portfolio options available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Find service providers who offer multiple SRI / ESG portfolio options

Bespoke SRI / ESG portfolios available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Find service providers who offer bespoke ('personalised') SRI / ESG portfolio options

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.

Specialist positive impact fund management company

Find fund management companies (or subsidiaries) that specialise in - or focus entirely on - investing in assets that are helping to deliver positive environmental and / or social impacts.

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.

SDG aligned aims / objectives (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that aim to align all their investments (across all funds) to help meet the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Responsible ownership policy for non SRI funds (AFM company wide)

Find funds run by fund managers that apply Responsible ownership or 'Stewardship' policies to all or most of their investment assets. This means active involvement (e.g. voting, dialogue) with the companies they invest in across funds (not normally limited to ethical or SRI options.) Read fund literature for further information.

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).

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

TNFD forum member (AFM company wide)

A member of the Taskforce for Nature Related Financial Disclosures group which aims to aid risk management and shift money towards nature-positive outcomes.

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.

ESG specialists on all investment desks (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have one or more ESG/sustainability experts on all investment teams or 'desks' (all asset types)

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.

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.

Tobacco avoidance policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that avoid investment in tobacco (manufacturing) companies across all their assets.

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.)

Review(ing) carbon / fossil fuel exposure for all funds (AFM company wide)

Find funds / fund managers that are reviewing, or have reviewed, their exposure to carbon intensive industries including (but not only) mining, oil and gas companies. (Typically with reference to climate change.)

Coal divestment policy (AFM company wide)

This asset manager has a strategy in place that will lead them to exit direct investments in the coal mining industry. Managers ability to do this may depend on the geographic regions in which they invest.

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.

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.

Publish 'CEO owned' Climate Risk policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that have published a Climate Risk policy or statement that is signed / owned by their Chief Executive.

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.

Carbon transition plan published (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have a company wide carbon transition plan - meaning that they have plotted a path to how they will move away from activities that produce or use carbon based energy sources (that emit greenhouse gases) towards clean, alternative, renewable energy sources.

‘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.

Carbon offsetting – do NOT offset carbon as part of net zero plan (AFM company wide)

This asset management company plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions by reducing their emissions. Calculations and scope vary.

In-house carbon / GHG reduction policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working to reduce their own (fund management company) carbon/greenhouse gas emissions.

Working towards a ‘Net Zero’ commitment (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund management companies that are in the process of working out how to make a ‘net zero commitment’ - meaning that when that is finalised they will have started the process of reducing their total greenhouse gas emissions to'zero'.

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.

Sustainability transition plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they are to become a sustainable business - without significant negative environmental or social impacts.

Paris Alignment plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they will align to the climate change commitments made at the Paris Climate Talks, COP21.

Net Zero transition plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they are going to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.

Dialshifter statement

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

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Policy:

As a leading player in the financial services industry, we strongly believe that RI not only delivers sustainable, long-term value for clients, it also makes a positive impact on society. At AXA IM, since 2001, we have developed an RI policy that covers all assets classes which is continuously improved. Our RI policy defines our categorization of our RI offering and describes how our RI policies are implemented across AXA IM. This is available on our corporate website here: Our Policies | AXA IM Corporate (axa-im.com).

 

To avoid investing in bonds issued by companies which present excessive degrees of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk, the ACD applies AXA IM Group’s sector specific investment guidelines relating to responsible investment to the Fund. Such guidelines exclude investment in (or exposure to) certain companies based on their involvement in specific sectors (such as soft commodity derivatives, palm oil (including deforestation and natural ecosystems conversion), controversial weapons and climate risks).

The ACD also applies the AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy. This policy excludes investment in companies based on: tobacco production; manufacture of white phosphorus weapons; human rights; anti-corruption and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy and AXA IM Group’s sector specific investment guidelines are described in the documents available on the website: https://www.axa-im.com/responsible-investing/sectorinvestment-guidelines..

 

Further, in selecting investments, the ACD will, in addition to the application of the above policies, take into account: (i) the issuer’s ESG score (using an internal ESG scoring system as detailed in the AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy); and (ii) the ACD’s analysis of the global bond universe for both sovereign and corporate entities. The ACD will use the ESG score and analysis as one factor within its broader analysis of the issuer to make selections which are expected to generate sustained growth and returns over time. It is, however, just one component of the ACD’s investment process and ESG scores are not the principal driver of investment decision making.

 

We have also put a lot of effort into ensuring that our Global Strategic Bonds strategy can deliver attractive financial risk-adjusted returns to investors, but in a way that also delivers on non-financial objectives. This is why we integrated a specific ESG scoring objective into the strategy – ensuring that the investment team has these dual objectives in mind at all times. We do not believe that achieving attractive risk-adjusted returns should be at the expense of delivering on our responsible investment commitments, and hence prefer to tackle these challenges head on within our core strategy rather than separate the two elements, which we believe creates a distorted picture for investors. More specifically, the fund always aims at outperforming the ESG rating of a parallel comparison portfolio internally defined by AXA IM for ESG purposes as a moving strategic asset allocation constituted of ICE BofA G7 Government Index + ICE Global Large Cap Corporate Index + ICE BofA Global High Yield Index.

Process:

The AXA Global Strategic Bond Fund integrates ESG risks and opportunities in four parts:

 

  • ESG data and research

Our ESG research capabilities are organised as follows:

  • Our Responsible Investing (RI) Research and RI Coordination & Governance teams are responsible for our research and stewardship activities focusing on thematic research (e.g. climate, human capital, health), corporate governance and engagement. Our RI Solutions, Models and Tools team have developed and maintain a proprietary ESG scoring system for corporate and sovereign issuers relying on a common framework built around the three pillars.
  • ESG & Impact analysts embedded within the investment platforms conduct ESG analysis at a company level. For fixed income, our global team of fundamental credit analysts incorporate ESG considerations into their research of each issuer, alongside more traditional financial analysis, to ensure that we have more holistic understanding of the long-term credit worthiness of a company.

To complement the in-house research conducted by these teams, we have developed an internal research, analysis and rating database, RI Search, which provides ESG information for over 8,800 companies and more than 190 sovereign issuers and markets around the world.

Our quantitative RI analysts maintain the internal database in close collaboration with the IT department. All our investment teams and analysts have access to this broad range of ESG and impact information on companies.

AXA IM uses a proprietary ESG scoring methodology called ‘Q²’ (Qual & Quant), using MSCI as a starting point with some proprietary add-ons which constitute the real value-added of AXA IM’s ESG scoring capacity: coverage, fundamental analyses, and instrument-level differentiation.

 

  • ESG score objective

As part of the strategy’s approach, we target a better overall ESG score than a proxy benchmark, which consists of a blend of G7 government bonds, global investment grade credit and global high yield – thereby broadly representing the strategy’s investible universe.

The ESG score will change depending on the fund’s asset allocation or the scores of the underlying issuers, whose scores are updated twice yearly. To ensure a fair comparison with the proxy benchmark over time, we run a dynamic strategic asset allocation rebalancing process on the benchmark to ensure that it is aligned with the strategy’s asset allocation evolution.

Incorporating this proxy benchmark for ESG monitoring purposes means that ESG factors need to be considered alongside more traditional metrics, such as valuation and fundamentals, in every bottom-up security selection decision made by the investment team. We will also avoid issuers with particular poor ESG credentials whereby, generally speaking, we will not own bonds where the issuer has an ESG score below 1.43 (MSCI). The exception to this is when we believe the score to have fallen erroneously, for example due to a data discrepancy. Any exception is managed through written application to the ESG Score Assessment & Review Committee (ESARC), which is independent of our investment team. It is worth noting that ESARC may also downgrade the ESG score of an issuer when it is believed to be too high, ensuring constant scrutiny of the quantitative methodology.

 

  • Engagement

As responsible owners of the assets held in our portfolio, we deliver robust and measurable stewardship and engagement. Engagement with bond issuers is an important aspect of our active ownership programme as we are long-term investors and often hold bonds to maturity. Our dialogue on ESG issues allows us to actively monitor our investments and is a critical way to ensure we manage the value of our bond investments over time.

Through engagement we aim to ensure that our clients continue to derive value from their holdings by dealing effectively with concerns which may impact performance. Using a research-driven approach, we strive to proactively engage companies on ESG issues before concerns materialise. We focus our engagement where we believe it can have the greatest impact. Through voting we aim to influence companies to adopt the highest corporate governance standards. We vote against company management where required and may decline future issuance should they fail to provide a satisfactory response to our ESG concerns.

 

  • AXA IM exclusion policies

AXA IM applies two levels of exclusions in its products: AXA IM Sectorial Exclusions and ESG Standards. AXA IM Sectorial Exclusions are applied across all of our investments, and include exclusions around controversial weapons, coal and oil sand activities, ecosystem protection and deforestation, as well as soft commodities. ESG Standards are applied to our ESG-integrated strategies, including Global Strategic Bonds, and provide separate exclusion policies around white phosphorous weapons, the tobacco industry, companies with an ESG score (MSCI) below 1.43, and severe controversies.

The offshore vehicle of the strategy, AXA WF Global Strategic Bonds, is classified as Article 8 for SFDR purposes. Products within this category must promote an environmental or social characteristic, which for Global Strategic Bonds is to have a better ESG score than the proxy benchmark which broadly representing its investible universe. We believe that our Global Strategic Bonds strategy is a relatively early mover in qualifying for the Article 8 classification within the unconstrained, global bond space.

 

Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:

External Qualitative Research

We use the research of ESG specialists like MSCI, Sustainalytics, ISS (proxy voting and UN SDG alignment) to complement the contribution of quantitative ratings. Investment professionals also have access to external qualitative research through brokers, etc.

 

Internal Qualitative Research

The RI research capabilities are organised as follows:

  • A central ESG Research Team focusing on thematic research, corporate governance, and shareholders engagement as well as on developing quantitative solutions. Climate, human capital/ diversity, and health have been identified as the key thematic priorities for this team.
  • ESG specialists within the investment platforms conduct ESG analysis at the company level.

 

We have 25 dedicated RI experts, embedded within investment and research teams, who are responsible for our RI-related activities and cover Research, Data/Scoring, Analytics, Stock/Credit Analysis and Active Ownership/Engagement.

 

We can also rely on 100 professionals whose RI is an essential in their day-to-day routine; this category of staff is composed of PMs, credit analysts, sales, investment analytic people and Investments specialists

 

More specifically, the RI research capabilities are organised as follows, within AXA IM Core:

  • A RI Research team responsible for thematic research with a focus on climate, biodiversity, human capital & diversity as well as health, nutrition, and data privacy, ensuring it translates into implementable investment decisions across platforms. This team also leads shareholders engagement on those themes. Within this team, dedicated RI Analysts are in charge of defining the eligible Green, Social and Sustainability bonds universe. They rely on our proprietary framework notably inspired by the Green and Social Bond Principle (GSBP) and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) Standards.
  • A RI Coordination and Governance team responsible for transversal RI projects and corporate governance including voting policy on key themes mentioned above. The Active Ownership strategy is built and led jointly with the RI Research team.
  • A RI Solutions, Tools and Models team dedicated to the development of ESG quantitative solutions. As such, the team has developed a proprietary ESG framework and RI Search platform, providing portfolio managers and analysts with ESG raw quantitative data, KPIs, internal and external research and ESG scores.
  • ESG specialists within the investment platforms oversee product development, the operational implementation of ESG processes, building portfolio RI eligible universes and support the integration of ESG criteria and RI approaches within portfolio construction and decision-making processes.
  • ESG analysts integrated within investment teams: ESG specialists are embedded the investment teams to conduct ESG analysis at the company level, working closely with fund managers. They integrate ESG criteria in their assessment of an investment, our conviction being that ESG provides a complementary analysis to traditional financial research; these issues may have financial impacts for companies in the short and/or long-term time horizon.
  • Impact analysts integrated within investment teams: they perform qualitative impact analysis on companies based on five key pillars, reviewing their products or services and operational activities to demonstrates whether a company contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals or to a specific impact.

ESG related business development activities are led by specialized investment specialists, who work hand in hand with investment teams. Ultimate accountability for responsible investing lies with Hans Stoter, Head of AXA IM Core.

 

We play a proactive role in several industry initiatives and groups and take a leadership role as often as possible, as highlighted below:

30% French Club Investor Group, 30% UK Club Investor Group, Access to Medicine Index, Access to Nutrition Initiative, ALIGN Project under EU Business@Biodiversity programme, Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC) - Sustainable Finance Working Group, Association Française de Gestion (AFG) - Responsible Investment and Corporate Governance Committees, CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), CERES, Climate Action 100+, Climate Bonds Initiative, Coalition Transition Juste, EC B@B (European Commission Business@Biodiversity), ESG Open Data Platform, European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) Stewardship and ESG Standing Committee, European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA), Eurosif (European Sustainable Investment Forum), Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, Forum per la Finanza Sostenibile (ItaSIF), FIR (Forum pour l’Investissement Responsible - France), GIIN (Global Impact Investing Network), Green Building Council Italie, GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark), ICMA - Green and Social Bond Principles, ICMA - Sustainable Finance Committee, IIGCC (Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change), Impact Management Project, INREV (European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles), Investment Association (IA) - Sustainability and Responsible Investment Committee, Net Zero Asset Managers, Observatoire de l'Immobilier Durable (OID), One Planet Asset Management WG, Operating principles for Impact Management, UN PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment), Responsible Investment Association Australasia, SASB - Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, ULI (Urban Land Institute), UN PRI - Deforestation Commodities Practitioners Group, UNEP FI (United Nations Environmental Program Finance Initiative), VBDO (Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development).

 

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Dialshifter

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

AXA IM is a founding member of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAMI), and as such has made a public commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To date, we consider that 41% of AXA IM's (eligible) assets under management are already on track to be carbon neutral by 2050 or earlier, with the aim of continuing to increase the proportion of net zero assets from 2022 onwards and over time (on which we will report to NZAMI, PRI, CDP in due course).

 

SDR Labelling: Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Disclaimer

This document has been prepared by AXA Investment Managers for the sole use of the company to whom it is addressed. It may not be copied or circulated, in whole or in part, outside that company, without the prior written consent of AXA Investment Managers. Whilst reasonable care has been taken by AXA Investment Managers to ensure that this document is current at the date of issue, no warranty of accuracy is given, and any information contained within it may be subject to change without notice. Furthermore, the data including but not limited to scenarios and investment guidelines set forth in these materials are presented for indicative and/or illustrative purpose and such data including but not limited to scenarios and investment guidelines could vary significantly from the final investment policy and/or actual results. The figures provided relate to previous months or years and past performance is not a reliable indicator as to future performance. The value of investments may fall as well as rise and investors may get back less than they put in. Nothing contained within this document shall constitute an offer to enter into, or a term or condition of, any contract with the recipient or any other party. This document shall not be deemed to constitute investment advice, or an offer for sale or solicitation to invest in any particular fund. Subscriptions to funds are accepted only from eligible investors on the basis of the relevant current prospectus or Information Memorandum.

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In September 2023 AXA streghthened their RI policies:

  • Climate Risk
  • Controversial Weapons
  • EcoSystem Protection & Deforestation
  • Soft Commodities

Please see the text under “Exclusion” in each section for changes.

No major changes have been made to the AXA IM ESG Standards Policy, however this document was also updated and strengthened as at September 2023.

The policies can be found on the AXA IM website (Our Policies and Reports | AXA IM UK (axa-im.co.uk)).

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

AXA Global Strategic Bond Fund

Unclassified Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics OEIC Global Fixed Interest 19/10/2020 Apr 2022

Fund Size: £73.22m

(as at: 31/12/2021)

Total Assets Under Management: £745.46m

(as at: 31/12/2021)

ISIN: GB00BMZCH694, GB00BMZCH587, GB00BMZCH363, GB00BMZCH470

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Overview

Awaiting update from fund manager (July 2024)

 

The fund aims to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns over an economic cycle, whilst integrating ESG considerations throughout the investment process. We target a better overall ESG score than a proxy benchmark, which consists of a blend of G7 government bonds, global investment grade credit and global high yield – thereby broadly representing the strategy’s investible universe. The ESG score changes depending on the fund’s asset allocation or the scores of the underlying issuers, whose scores are updated twice yearly. To ensure a fair comparison with the benchmark over time, we run a dynamic strategic asset allocation rebalancing process on the benchmark to ensure alignment with the strategy’s asset allocation evolution. The portfolio’s ESG quality is monitored through ESG scoring made available to the investment team through internal platforms RISE and RI Search. Several KPIs are reported including carbon intensity, water consumption, % of independent directors, etc., compared to the proxy benchmark.

 

Primary fund last amended: Apr 2022

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

Find funds which substantially focus on sustainability issues

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/

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Ethical Values Led Exclusions
Ethical policies

Find funds that have policies that set out their position on ethical or 'personal values' based issues. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.

Tobacco and related product manufacturers excluded

Companies are excluded if they are involved in any aspect of the production chain for tobacco products, including cigarettes, vaping, e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars.

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.

Gilts & Sovereigns
Gilts / government bonds - exclude some

Find funds that avoid investing in 'some' gilts or government bonds. Strategies vary, but this may relate to avoiding specific countries or particular reasons for bond issuance. 'Green gilts' for example would be likely to be acceptable. See fund literature for further information.

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 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

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.

How The Fund Works
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.

Selection criteria / strategy may alter in adverse markets

Finds funds that may alter/soften or move away from their regular ESG/sustainability/ethical investment selection criteria when investment market conditions become difficult

Data led strategy

Find funds that make stock selection (and ongoing fund management) decisions based on ESG data or company ratings (normally supplied by third parties) rather than focusing on what individual companies do, how they operate or their plans for the future

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.

Assets mapped to SDGs

Find funds that have 'mapped' (reviewed) their investment selection and management strategies to identify which of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the fund is helping to address.

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.

Norms focus

Find funds that use internationally agreed standards, conventions and 'norms' to help direct where the fund can and cannot invest (e.g. the UN Global Compact, UN Sustainable Development Goals). Read fund literature for further information.

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).

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.

Portfolio SRI / ESG options available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Finds those that offer an SRI / ESG portfolio option

Multiple SRI / ESG portfolio options available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Find service providers who offer multiple SRI / ESG portfolio options

Bespoke SRI / ESG portfolios available (DFMs)

Only applicable for DFM’s & portfolio providers. Find service providers who offer bespoke ('personalised') SRI / ESG portfolio options

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.

Specialist positive impact fund management company

Find fund management companies (or subsidiaries) that specialise in - or focus entirely on - investing in assets that are helping to deliver positive environmental and / or social impacts.

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.

SDG aligned aims / objectives (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that aim to align all their investments (across all funds) to help meet the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Responsible ownership policy for non SRI funds (AFM company wide)

Find funds run by fund managers that apply Responsible ownership or 'Stewardship' policies to all or most of their investment assets. This means active involvement (e.g. voting, dialogue) with the companies they invest in across funds (not normally limited to ethical or SRI options.) Read fund literature for further information.

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).

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

TNFD forum member (AFM company wide)

A member of the Taskforce for Nature Related Financial Disclosures group which aims to aid risk management and shift money towards nature-positive outcomes.

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.

ESG specialists on all investment desks (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have one or more ESG/sustainability experts on all investment teams or 'desks' (all asset types)

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.

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.

Tobacco avoidance policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that avoid investment in tobacco (manufacturing) companies across all their assets.

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.)

Review(ing) carbon / fossil fuel exposure for all funds (AFM company wide)

Find funds / fund managers that are reviewing, or have reviewed, their exposure to carbon intensive industries including (but not only) mining, oil and gas companies. (Typically with reference to climate change.)

Coal divestment policy (AFM company wide)

This asset manager has a strategy in place that will lead them to exit direct investments in the coal mining industry. Managers ability to do this may depend on the geographic regions in which they invest.

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.

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.

Publish 'CEO owned' Climate Risk policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that have published a Climate Risk policy or statement that is signed / owned by their Chief Executive.

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.

Carbon transition plan published (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund managers that have a company wide carbon transition plan - meaning that they have plotted a path to how they will move away from activities that produce or use carbon based energy sources (that emit greenhouse gases) towards clean, alternative, renewable energy sources.

‘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.

Carbon offsetting – do NOT offset carbon as part of net zero plan (AFM company wide)

This asset management company plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions by reducing their emissions. Calculations and scope vary.

In-house carbon / GHG reduction policy (AFM company wide)

Find fund management companies that are working to reduce their own (fund management company) carbon/greenhouse gas emissions.

Working towards a ‘Net Zero’ commitment (AFM company wide)

Finds organisations / fund management companies that are in the process of working out how to make a ‘net zero commitment’ - meaning that when that is finalised they will have started the process of reducing their total greenhouse gas emissions to'zero'.

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.

Sustainability transition plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they are to become a sustainable business - without significant negative environmental or social impacts.

Paris Alignment plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they will align to the climate change commitments made at the Paris Climate Talks, COP21.

Net Zero transition plan publicly available (AFM company wide)

This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they are going to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.

Dialshifter statement

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

Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Policy:

As a leading player in the financial services industry, we strongly believe that RI not only delivers sustainable, long-term value for clients, it also makes a positive impact on society. At AXA IM, since 2001, we have developed an RI policy that covers all assets classes which is continuously improved. Our RI policy defines our categorization of our RI offering and describes how our RI policies are implemented across AXA IM. This is available on our corporate website here: Our Policies | AXA IM Corporate (axa-im.com).

 

To avoid investing in bonds issued by companies which present excessive degrees of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk, the ACD applies AXA IM Group’s sector specific investment guidelines relating to responsible investment to the Fund. Such guidelines exclude investment in (or exposure to) certain companies based on their involvement in specific sectors (such as soft commodity derivatives, palm oil (including deforestation and natural ecosystems conversion), controversial weapons and climate risks).

The ACD also applies the AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy. This policy excludes investment in companies based on: tobacco production; manufacture of white phosphorus weapons; human rights; anti-corruption and other environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy and AXA IM Group’s sector specific investment guidelines are described in the documents available on the website: https://www.axa-im.com/responsible-investing/sectorinvestment-guidelines..

 

Further, in selecting investments, the ACD will, in addition to the application of the above policies, take into account: (i) the issuer’s ESG score (using an internal ESG scoring system as detailed in the AXA Investment Managers’ ESG Standards policy); and (ii) the ACD’s analysis of the global bond universe for both sovereign and corporate entities. The ACD will use the ESG score and analysis as one factor within its broader analysis of the issuer to make selections which are expected to generate sustained growth and returns over time. It is, however, just one component of the ACD’s investment process and ESG scores are not the principal driver of investment decision making.

 

We have also put a lot of effort into ensuring that our Global Strategic Bonds strategy can deliver attractive financial risk-adjusted returns to investors, but in a way that also delivers on non-financial objectives. This is why we integrated a specific ESG scoring objective into the strategy – ensuring that the investment team has these dual objectives in mind at all times. We do not believe that achieving attractive risk-adjusted returns should be at the expense of delivering on our responsible investment commitments, and hence prefer to tackle these challenges head on within our core strategy rather than separate the two elements, which we believe creates a distorted picture for investors. More specifically, the fund always aims at outperforming the ESG rating of a parallel comparison portfolio internally defined by AXA IM for ESG purposes as a moving strategic asset allocation constituted of ICE BofA G7 Government Index + ICE Global Large Cap Corporate Index + ICE BofA Global High Yield Index.

Process:

The AXA Global Strategic Bond Fund integrates ESG risks and opportunities in four parts:

 

  • ESG data and research

Our ESG research capabilities are organised as follows:

  • Our Responsible Investing (RI) Research and RI Coordination & Governance teams are responsible for our research and stewardship activities focusing on thematic research (e.g. climate, human capital, health), corporate governance and engagement. Our RI Solutions, Models and Tools team have developed and maintain a proprietary ESG scoring system for corporate and sovereign issuers relying on a common framework built around the three pillars.
  • ESG & Impact analysts embedded within the investment platforms conduct ESG analysis at a company level. For fixed income, our global team of fundamental credit analysts incorporate ESG considerations into their research of each issuer, alongside more traditional financial analysis, to ensure that we have more holistic understanding of the long-term credit worthiness of a company.

To complement the in-house research conducted by these teams, we have developed an internal research, analysis and rating database, RI Search, which provides ESG information for over 8,800 companies and more than 190 sovereign issuers and markets around the world.

Our quantitative RI analysts maintain the internal database in close collaboration with the IT department. All our investment teams and analysts have access to this broad range of ESG and impact information on companies.

AXA IM uses a proprietary ESG scoring methodology called ‘Q²’ (Qual & Quant), using MSCI as a starting point with some proprietary add-ons which constitute the real value-added of AXA IM’s ESG scoring capacity: coverage, fundamental analyses, and instrument-level differentiation.

 

  • ESG score objective

As part of the strategy’s approach, we target a better overall ESG score than a proxy benchmark, which consists of a blend of G7 government bonds, global investment grade credit and global high yield – thereby broadly representing the strategy’s investible universe.

The ESG score will change depending on the fund’s asset allocation or the scores of the underlying issuers, whose scores are updated twice yearly. To ensure a fair comparison with the proxy benchmark over time, we run a dynamic strategic asset allocation rebalancing process on the benchmark to ensure that it is aligned with the strategy’s asset allocation evolution.

Incorporating this proxy benchmark for ESG monitoring purposes means that ESG factors need to be considered alongside more traditional metrics, such as valuation and fundamentals, in every bottom-up security selection decision made by the investment team. We will also avoid issuers with particular poor ESG credentials whereby, generally speaking, we will not own bonds where the issuer has an ESG score below 1.43 (MSCI). The exception to this is when we believe the score to have fallen erroneously, for example due to a data discrepancy. Any exception is managed through written application to the ESG Score Assessment & Review Committee (ESARC), which is independent of our investment team. It is worth noting that ESARC may also downgrade the ESG score of an issuer when it is believed to be too high, ensuring constant scrutiny of the quantitative methodology.

 

  • Engagement

As responsible owners of the assets held in our portfolio, we deliver robust and measurable stewardship and engagement. Engagement with bond issuers is an important aspect of our active ownership programme as we are long-term investors and often hold bonds to maturity. Our dialogue on ESG issues allows us to actively monitor our investments and is a critical way to ensure we manage the value of our bond investments over time.

Through engagement we aim to ensure that our clients continue to derive value from their holdings by dealing effectively with concerns which may impact performance. Using a research-driven approach, we strive to proactively engage companies on ESG issues before concerns materialise. We focus our engagement where we believe it can have the greatest impact. Through voting we aim to influence companies to adopt the highest corporate governance standards. We vote against company management where required and may decline future issuance should they fail to provide a satisfactory response to our ESG concerns.

 

  • AXA IM exclusion policies

AXA IM applies two levels of exclusions in its products: AXA IM Sectorial Exclusions and ESG Standards. AXA IM Sectorial Exclusions are applied across all of our investments, and include exclusions around controversial weapons, coal and oil sand activities, ecosystem protection and deforestation, as well as soft commodities. ESG Standards are applied to our ESG-integrated strategies, including Global Strategic Bonds, and provide separate exclusion policies around white phosphorous weapons, the tobacco industry, companies with an ESG score (MSCI) below 1.43, and severe controversies.

The offshore vehicle of the strategy, AXA WF Global Strategic Bonds, is classified as Article 8 for SFDR purposes. Products within this category must promote an environmental or social characteristic, which for Global Strategic Bonds is to have a better ESG score than the proxy benchmark which broadly representing its investible universe. We believe that our Global Strategic Bonds strategy is a relatively early mover in qualifying for the Article 8 classification within the unconstrained, global bond space.

 

Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:

External Qualitative Research

We use the research of ESG specialists like MSCI, Sustainalytics, ISS (proxy voting and UN SDG alignment) to complement the contribution of quantitative ratings. Investment professionals also have access to external qualitative research through brokers, etc.

 

Internal Qualitative Research

The RI research capabilities are organised as follows:

  • A central ESG Research Team focusing on thematic research, corporate governance, and shareholders engagement as well as on developing quantitative solutions. Climate, human capital/ diversity, and health have been identified as the key thematic priorities for this team.
  • ESG specialists within the investment platforms conduct ESG analysis at the company level.

 

We have 25 dedicated RI experts, embedded within investment and research teams, who are responsible for our RI-related activities and cover Research, Data/Scoring, Analytics, Stock/Credit Analysis and Active Ownership/Engagement.

 

We can also rely on 100 professionals whose RI is an essential in their day-to-day routine; this category of staff is composed of PMs, credit analysts, sales, investment analytic people and Investments specialists

 

More specifically, the RI research capabilities are organised as follows, within AXA IM Core:

  • A RI Research team responsible for thematic research with a focus on climate, biodiversity, human capital & diversity as well as health, nutrition, and data privacy, ensuring it translates into implementable investment decisions across platforms. This team also leads shareholders engagement on those themes. Within this team, dedicated RI Analysts are in charge of defining the eligible Green, Social and Sustainability bonds universe. They rely on our proprietary framework notably inspired by the Green and Social Bond Principle (GSBP) and the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) Standards.
  • A RI Coordination and Governance team responsible for transversal RI projects and corporate governance including voting policy on key themes mentioned above. The Active Ownership strategy is built and led jointly with the RI Research team.
  • A RI Solutions, Tools and Models team dedicated to the development of ESG quantitative solutions. As such, the team has developed a proprietary ESG framework and RI Search platform, providing portfolio managers and analysts with ESG raw quantitative data, KPIs, internal and external research and ESG scores.
  • ESG specialists within the investment platforms oversee product development, the operational implementation of ESG processes, building portfolio RI eligible universes and support the integration of ESG criteria and RI approaches within portfolio construction and decision-making processes.
  • ESG analysts integrated within investment teams: ESG specialists are embedded the investment teams to conduct ESG analysis at the company level, working closely with fund managers. They integrate ESG criteria in their assessment of an investment, our conviction being that ESG provides a complementary analysis to traditional financial research; these issues may have financial impacts for companies in the short and/or long-term time horizon.
  • Impact analysts integrated within investment teams: they perform qualitative impact analysis on companies based on five key pillars, reviewing their products or services and operational activities to demonstrates whether a company contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals or to a specific impact.

ESG related business development activities are led by specialized investment specialists, who work hand in hand with investment teams. Ultimate accountability for responsible investing lies with Hans Stoter, Head of AXA IM Core.

 

We play a proactive role in several industry initiatives and groups and take a leadership role as often as possible, as highlighted below:

30% French Club Investor Group, 30% UK Club Investor Group, Access to Medicine Index, Access to Nutrition Initiative, ALIGN Project under EU Business@Biodiversity programme, Asset Management and Investors Council (AMIC) - Sustainable Finance Working Group, Association Française de Gestion (AFG) - Responsible Investment and Corporate Governance Committees, CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), CERES, Climate Action 100+, Climate Bonds Initiative, Coalition Transition Juste, EC B@B (European Commission Business@Biodiversity), ESG Open Data Platform, European Fund and Asset Management Association (EFAMA) Stewardship and ESG Standing Committee, European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA), Eurosif (European Sustainable Investment Forum), Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, Forum per la Finanza Sostenibile (ItaSIF), FIR (Forum pour l’Investissement Responsible - France), GIIN (Global Impact Investing Network), Green Building Council Italie, GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark), ICMA - Green and Social Bond Principles, ICMA - Sustainable Finance Committee, IIGCC (Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change), Impact Management Project, INREV (European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles), Investment Association (IA) - Sustainability and Responsible Investment Committee, Net Zero Asset Managers, Observatoire de l'Immobilier Durable (OID), One Planet Asset Management WG, Operating principles for Impact Management, UN PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment), Responsible Investment Association Australasia, SASB - Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, ULI (Urban Land Institute), UN PRI - Deforestation Commodities Practitioners Group, UNEP FI (United Nations Environmental Program Finance Initiative), VBDO (Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development).

 

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Dialshifter

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

AXA IM is a founding member of the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative (NZAMI), and as such has made a public commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. To date, we consider that 41% of AXA IM's (eligible) assets under management are already on track to be carbon neutral by 2050 or earlier, with the aim of continuing to increase the proportion of net zero assets from 2022 onwards and over time (on which we will report to NZAMI, PRI, CDP in due course).

 

SDR Labelling: Unlabelled with sustainable characteristics

Disclaimer

This document has been prepared by AXA Investment Managers for the sole use of the company to whom it is addressed. It may not be copied or circulated, in whole or in part, outside that company, without the prior written consent of AXA Investment Managers. Whilst reasonable care has been taken by AXA Investment Managers to ensure that this document is current at the date of issue, no warranty of accuracy is given, and any information contained within it may be subject to change without notice. Furthermore, the data including but not limited to scenarios and investment guidelines set forth in these materials are presented for indicative and/or illustrative purpose and such data including but not limited to scenarios and investment guidelines could vary significantly from the final investment policy and/or actual results. The figures provided relate to previous months or years and past performance is not a reliable indicator as to future performance. The value of investments may fall as well as rise and investors may get back less than they put in. Nothing contained within this document shall constitute an offer to enter into, or a term or condition of, any contract with the recipient or any other party. This document shall not be deemed to constitute investment advice, or an offer for sale or solicitation to invest in any particular fund. Subscriptions to funds are accepted only from eligible investors on the basis of the relevant current prospectus or Information Memorandum.

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In September 2023 AXA streghthened their RI policies:

  • Climate Risk
  • Controversial Weapons
  • EcoSystem Protection & Deforestation
  • Soft Commodities

Please see the text under “Exclusion” in each section for changes.

No major changes have been made to the AXA IM ESG Standards Policy, however this document was also updated and strengthened as at September 2023.

The policies can be found on the AXA IM website (Our Policies and Reports | AXA IM UK (axa-im.co.uk)).