Has policies which relate to environmental issues. These will typically set out their stance on issues such as pollution, climate change, resource management, biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, plastics and/or additional environmental impacts. Strategies vary.

Options that limit or 'reduce' their exposure to carbon intensive industries (ie sectors which are major contributors to climate change). Strategies vary.

Has documented policies explaining the approach to environmental damage and pollution. Strategies vary.

Aims to invest in companies with strong or market leading environmental policies and practices. Strategies vary. See individual entry information for more detail.

Has policies designed to address involvement in irresponsibly managed palm oil or other forms of deforestation (typically exclusion led). Strategies vary.

Avoids assets that are involved in illegal deforestation. This may relate to palm oil, cattle farming or other areas. Strategies vary.

Aims to avoid investing in companies that produce genetically modified seeds or crops. (This does not typically include avoiding companies such as supermarkets).

Has 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.

Avoid investment in major coal, oil and/or gas (extraction) companies. Strategies vary.

Avoid companies involved in fracking and tar sands - which are widely regarded as controversial methods of oil and gas extraction. Strategies vary.

Avoid investing in companies / assets with coal, oil and gas reserves. See individual entry information for further details.

Invest in renewable energy companies and / or companies where renewable energy is a significant part of their business. Strategies vary.

Has a policy which describes the avoidance or limited investment in the nuclear industry. Strategies vary.

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

Aims to invest in assets with high social values - this may include strong human rights, labour standards and equal opportunities or safety related practices.

Has policies or themes that set out their approach to health and wellbeing issues, typically aims to invest in companies with high standards - or encourage high standards.

Has policies that set out their position on ethical or 'personal values' based issues. Strategies vary.

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.

Avoids companies that manufacture weapons intended specifically for military use. Strategies vary - may or may not include non-strategic military products.

Avoids companies that produce alcohol. Strategies vary; some may allow a small proportion of revenue to come from this area.

Avoids companies with significant involvement in the gambling industry. Some may allow a small proportion of revenues to come from this area.

Avoids companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary.

Has 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.

Has policies relating to human rights issues. Typically require companies to demonstrate higher standards, although some managers work to encourage improvements. Investee companies are often judged against internationally agreed norms or standards. Strategies vary.

Has policies to avoid companies that employ children.

Has policies that exclude companies or other assets which operate in, or are owned by regimes which are not democratic, or where people may be oppressed. May use eg. Freedom House research. Strategies vary.

Has 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.

Have policies or themes that set out the position on investment in the water sector and/or sanitation. Strategies vary.

Has 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.

Avoids 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.

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

Has 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.

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

Find options that have an external committee that helps steer or advise managers on sustainability, ethical, stewardship or ESG policy or strategy related issues. These people may be paid for their time but are not employees of the fund manager.

Find fund / asset managers 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.

Invests more than half of their money in smaller or medium sized companies. (i.e. below around £5 -10 billion)

Invests in a combination of small, medium and larger (potentially multinational) companies / assets.

Has policies that aim to help or support the delivery of positive social or environmental impacts (or societal/real world outcomes) by investing in companies they regard as beneficial to people and / or the planet. Strategies vary.

Specifically sets out to help deliver positive environmental impacts, benefits or 'real world' outcomes.

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

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

Has principle approach to apply positive or negative ethical, social and / or environmental screens. Strictly screened investments are likely to exclude more companies than other related options. Strategies vary.

Considers both the 'positive' and 'negative' aspects of company behaviour and makes balanced, considered decisions as part of their investment approach. May apply to a range of different issues and policy areas.

Uses internationally agreed standards, conventions and 'norms' to help direct investment decisions (e.g. the UN Global Compact, UN Sustainable Development Goals).

Publish explanations of their ethical, social and/or environmental policies online (i.e. investment decision making strategies/ buy/sell &/or asset management strategies).

Has attributes that commonly suit the aims of investors of faith - although they may not be specifically marketed as being only for religious investors. Strategies vary (as do investor aims).

Available via a tax efficient ISA product wrapper.

Find options that are rated by research agency 'Rayner Spencer Mills Research' (awarded 'RSMR Rated' status). Contact RSMR for further information.

Finds fund / asset 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.

Find fund / asset 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.

Find fund / asset 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.)

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

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

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

Find options run by 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 across all or most funds, products and services.

Find fund / asset 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.

Find fund / asset 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).

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

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

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

Find fund / asset 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.

Find a fund / asset 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Fund / asset 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.

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

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

This fund / asset management company plans to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions with the help of a scheme that will lock away an amount of carbon that is equivalent to the company’s own emissions – so that the end result is ‘net zero’. Calculations and scope vary.

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

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

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

Fund / asset 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.

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

This fund / 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.

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

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