Has 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 individual entry information.

Has a significant focus on sustainability issues

Aim to encourage higher sustainability standards through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement / voting activity

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.

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

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 companies that are involved in extracting oil from the Arctic regions.

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

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

Excludes companies and other assets with direct involvement in fossil fuel exploration (eg coal, oil and gas companies)

Excludes companies / assets with indirect involvement in fossil fuel exploration. This may relate to providers of finance and / or insurance and providers of other services.

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 included non-strategic military products.

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

Find funds that avoid companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary.

Avoids 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.

Does not invest in, or excludes, gilts and/or government bonds.

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

Aim to encourage higher ESG standards through responsible ownership / stewardship / engagement /voting activity

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.

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

Invests more than half of their money into what are commonly regarded as 'large companies'. This will typically mean that the market capitalisation (or value) of the companies they hold is in excess of £5 to £10 billion.

Invests mainly in larger companies. (e.g. over circa £5-£10bn)

Has principle 'ethical approach' to avoid companies by using negative screening criteria. Strategies vary.

Has some exclusions - typically for example excludes tobacco or companies that breach commonly adopted standards or norms such as the UN Global Compact.

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.

Focuses on 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).

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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).

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.