abrdn SICAV I - Emerging Markets ex China Equity Fund
SRI Style:
Sustainability Tilt
SDR Labelling:
Not eligible to use label
Product:
SICAV/Offshore
Fund Region:
Emerging Markets
Fund Asset Type:
Equity
Launch Date:
30/06/2017
Last Amended:
Oct 2022
Dialshifter (
):
Fund Size:
£98.56m
(as at: 30/11/2024)
Total Screened Themed SRI Assets:
£29131.00m
(as at: 30/06/2022)
Total Responsible Ownership Assets:
£29131.00m
(as at: 30/06/2022)
Total Assets Under Management:
£508407.00m
(as at: 30/06/2022)
ISIN:
LU1581387781, LU1583308223, LU2313237088, LU2313237245, LU2313237161, LU1581388326, LU1581389050
Sustainable, Responsible
&/or ESG Overview:
No response when requested update from manager (August 2024)
Fund manager happy with infomation displayed (as at July 2023)
A high conviction, actively-managed portfolio of high quality, sustainably managed companies. The fund is positively tilted towards companies with a strong track-record of managing their environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities.
The Fund aims to achieve a combination of growth and income by investing in companies identified by the Investment Manager’s “Sustainable and Responsible” investment process and are based in Emerging Markets countries. The Fund aims to outperform the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (USD) benchmark before charges.
Primary fund last amended:
Oct 2022
Information directly from fund manager.
Fund Filters
Sustainability - General
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.
Environmental - General
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.
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.
Funds that have written policies explaining the approach they take when companies damage the environment or are significant polluters. Funds of this kind may work with companies to encourage higher standards, or exclude companies - sometimes dependent on the situation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.
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.
Climate Change & Energy
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.
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.
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.
Funds that avoid companies that are involved in extracting oil from the Arctic regions. See fund literature for further details.
Funds that avoid investing in companies with coal, oil and gas reserves. See fund information for further details.
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.
Find funds that have policies which say they avoid or limit their investment in the nuclear industry. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.
This fund has a strategy that aims ensure its holdings will gradually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets set at COP21 in Paris. The ultimate aim is to achieve ‘net zero emissions by 2050’ and a ‘maximum global temperature increase of +1.5 to +2 degrees above preindustrial levels’. Strategies and opinions vary. Read fund information.
Social / Employment
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.
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
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.
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.
Find funds that avoid companies that manufacture products intended specifically for military use. Fund strategies vary - particularly with regard to non-strategic military products. See fund literature for fund specific details.
Find funds that avoid investment in companies involved in the production of alcohol. Strategies vary; some funds allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund literature for further information.
Find funds that avoid companies with significant involvement in the gambling industry. Some funds may allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund policy for further details.
Find funds that avoid companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary. See fund details for further information.
Human Rights
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.
Find funds that have policies in place to ensure they do not invest in companies that employ children.
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.
Find funds that have policies or a theme that relates to the responsible management of supply chains. These may relate to employment issues, notably people employed by their suppliers, as well as the sourcing of materials and products. See fund literature for further information.
Gilts & Sovereigns
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.
Find funds that do not invest in, or exclude, gilts and/or government bonds.
Governance & Management
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.
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.
Exclude companies that are subject to United Nations sanctions. See eg https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/un-sc-consolidated-list
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.
Fund managers encourage the companies they invest in to have more diverse board structures (e.g. more women on boards)
Fund Governance
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.
Asset Size
Find funds that 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.
Find a fund that invests in a combination of small, medium and larger (potentially multinational)companies.
Find funds that have SRI strategies and focus their investment stock selection on larger companies. (e.g. over circa £5-£10bn)
Impact Methodologies
Find funds that direct investment towards companies where a major part of their business is about solving environmental challenges. e.g. companies helping to address climate change.
Find funds that invest in companies where a major part of their business is specifically aimed at helping to address social challenges. e.g. companies helping to address poverty.
Find funds that specifically set out to invest in companies that are regarded as 'disrupting' existing business practices - typically through the development of innovative (sustainability aware) products and/or practices.
How The Fund Works
Find funds that focus on finding and investing in companies with positive / beneficial attributes. This strategy can be applied in addition to exclusion criteria and engagement/stewardship activity.
Find funds where their main 'ethical approach' is to avoid companies by using negative screening criteria. Read fund literature for further information.
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.
Find funds that invest more heavily in those that have higher ESG ratings/standards or scores and less heavily in companies with lower ESG ratings. Where this is central to a fund's strategy you should expect it to invest in most sectors. Strategies vary.
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.
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.
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.
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
Find funds that are available via a tax efficient ISA product wrapper.
Labels & Accreditations
Finds funds classified under Article 8 of the EU’s SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Requirements). Article 8 of the SFDR is a set of requirements that apply to financial products that 'promote' environmental or social characteristics with high governance also. These rules do not currently apply to UK funds so many managers may leave this field blank.
Fund Management Company Information
About The Business
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 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 managers that consider responsible ownership and ESG to be a key differentiator for their business.
Find fund management companies that take sustainability criteria into account when selecting and/or managing all of their property / real estate investments.
The leadership team of this asset manager have performance targets linked to environmental goals.
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.
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).
Collaborations & Affiliations
Find fund management companies that have signed up to the UN backed 'Principles of Responsible Investment'.
Find fund management companies that are members of UKSIF - the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance association
Find fund management companies that have partnered with Fund EcoMarket - meaning that they are helping to improve access to information on sustainable and responsible investment by paying an annual fee to us which enables us to publish information for free. Partner funds are listed ahead of other funds and have their logos displayed.
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
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.
Accreditations
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
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.
Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage more responsible corporate taxation.
Company Wide Exclusions
Find fund management companies (not funds) that avoid investment in 'controversial weapons' across all of their funds and other investment vehicles.
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.)
Climate & Net Zero Transition
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.
This asset management company has set a date by which they plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.
Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
This 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 management companies that are working to reduce their own (fund management company) carbon/greenhouse gas emissions.
Transparency
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.
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.
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.
This asset management company has published a plan that explains how they are going to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.
Find fund management companies that have supplied Dialshifter information. See Dialshifter tab within record for more information.
Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG Policy:
Assessment Criteria
The fund follows a clear three stage process of reviewing and rating companies for inclusion in the portfolio which combines:
a series of binary negative screens a screen based on our internal RI scoring methodology positive allocation to high quality, sustainably managed companies.
We will not invest in companies which:
- have failed to uphold one or more principles of the UN Global Compact
- majority state-owned enterprises in countries subject to international sanctions of that violate global norms of behaviour
- are involved in controversial weapons
- have a revenue contribution of 10% or more from the manufacture or sale of conventional weapons or weapons systems
- have a revenue contribution of 10% or more from tobacco or tobacco manufacturers
- have a revenue contribution of 10% or more from gambling
- have a revenue contribution of 10% or more from alcohol production
- have a revenue contribution from thermal coal extraction
- have a revenue contribution from unconventional oil and gas extraction or are investing in new unconventional extraction capacity
- have a revenue contribution from conventional oil and gas
- are involved in electricity generation which have a carbon emission intensity based on Trucost scope 1 & 2 data of greater than 393gCO2/kWh or companies which are investing in new coal or nuclear generation capacity
RI scoring methodology
Aberdeen Standard Investments’ ESG House score was designed by our cross-asset class ESG Investment team to provide a view of how companies manage their ESG risks. The ESG score is a quantitative measure of a broad selection of company-specific data points which are weighted according to materiality for the individual company’s sub-industry classification. The score is divided into a governance component, incorporating both corporate governance and behaviour, and an operational component which looks at metrics in four core areas – climate change, environment, labour management, human rights and stakeholders. This allows us to understand the sources of ESG risk and helps to inform our engagement strategy.
The ESG score provides a view of how companies are positioned globally in relation to their management of all ESG issues. The Governance element of the score compares companies relative to the global universe and the Operational element of the score compares companies relative to global sector peers.
The strategy uses the ESG score to set a hurdle rate for companies to be included in the investable universe. Companies in sectors or sub-industries designated as medium or high risk by our cross-asset class ESG Investment team which fail the hurdle rate are deemed uninvestable.
For the Emerging Markets SRI Equity strategy we calculate the hurdle rate for the ESG House Score based on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Only companies which score better than the hurdle rate ESG score are deemed investable. At any one time we expect the hurdle rate to exclude a minimum of 10% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, by number, focusing on the ESG House Score of high and medium risk sectors in the Index. This is calculated after the exclusion of names which fail the binary negative screens. The hurdle rate is reviewed quarterly by the portfolio manager and the ESG Investment team.
Positive allocation
Our research process identified high quality companies which we believe will outperform over the business cycle.
As part of our research process companies under coverage are assigned a quality (Q) score by the analyst. This is a qualitative assessment of the company’s overall quality broken down into five individual components:
the industry in which the business operates the company’s business model and moat the quality of the management team the strength of the financials; and an assessment of each company’s ESG risk and opportunity profile and how well this is managed.
Companies are assigned a rating of 1 (highest quality) to 5 (worst quality), these scores are peer-reviewed by the wider team including the on-desk ESG analyst. To build a portfolio of sustainable, quality companies the fund will only invest in companies with an overall Q score and an individual ESG Q score of 3 or better. We use our research breadth and depth in emerging and frontier markets combined with our sustainable and responsible framework to identify high-quality, mispriced sustainable leaders and ESG improvers.
Engagement
Engagement is a fundamental part of our investment process and provides the opportunity to assess ESG risks on a forward looking basis and to drive positive change.
Companies held in the portfolio identified as laggards from an ESG perspective through either the bottom-up equity research process or from the assessment made by the Central ESG Investment team will form part of the annual engagement programme.
During this process we identify key areas of concern and create a list of engagement priorities with milestones and regular follow up.
Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:
Investments Vector Sustainability Group:
- Amanda Young - Chief Sustainability Officer (8 years at Firm, 25 years in Industry)
- Eva Cairns - Head of Sustainability Insights & Climate Strategy (11 years at Firm, 16 years in Industry)
- Anna Moss - Senior Sustainability Analyst (12 years at Firm, 12 years in Industry)
- Ann Meoni - Senior Sustainability Analyst (8 years at Firm, 8 years in Industry)
- Elizabeth (Meyer) Chiweshenga - Senior Sustainability Analyst (9 years at Firm, 9 years in Industry)
- Nick Gaskell - Sustainability Analyst (Less than a year at firm, 7 years in Industry)
- Ziggy You - Sustainability Analyst (3 years at Firm, 3 years in Industry)
- Aidan Maloney - Graduate Business Analyst (Less than a year at Firm, less than a year in Industry)
- Dan Grandage - Head of Sustainable Investments (8 years at firm, 8 years in Industry)
- Eilidh Duncan - Senior Sustainability Manager (2 years at firm, 4 years in Industry)
- Katy Grant - Senior Sustainability Manager (10 years at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Rachel Rotheram - Sustainability Analyst (4 years at firm, 4 years in Industry)
- Yolanda Yang - ESG BI Analyst (Less than a year at firm, 1 year in Industry)
- Maka Indorbaeva - Graduate Business Analyst (Less than a year at Firm, less than a year in Industry)
- Andrew Mason - Head of Active Ownership (10 years at firm, 17 years in Industry)
- Douglas Wilson - Senior Sustainability Manager (22 years at firm, 25 years in Industry)
- Joanna Sulc - Senior Sustainability Manager (7 years at Firm, 20 years in Industry)
- Kathleen Dewandeleer - Senior Sustainability Manager (3 years at firm, 30 years in Industry)
- Nick Duncan - Senior Sustainability Manager (7 years at Firm, 25 years in Industry)
- Claire Leighton - Sustainability Manager (12 years at Firm, 12 years in Industry)
- Stuart Riddick - Sustainability Manager (3 years at Firm, 3 years in Industry)
- Katie Mint - Sustainability Support (2 years at Firm, 2 years in Industry)
- Danielle Welsh-Rose - Head of Sustainability Investment Specialists & APAC Sustainability (2 years at Firm, 20 years in Industry)
- Jamie Govan - Sustainability Director (14 years at Firm, 14 years in Industry)
- Neil Murdoch - Senior Sustainability Specialist (6 years at Firm, 16 years in Industry)
- Nicola Skrastin - Sustainability Specialist (5 years at Firm, 5 years in Industry)
- Qianlin Li - Sustainability Specialist (Less than a year at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Sylvain Augoyard - Sustainability Manager - APAC (Less than a year at Firm, 13 years in Industry)
- Daniel Bowie-MacDonald - Sustainability Investment Specialist (9 years at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Sheela Veerappan - Sustainability Investment Specialist - APAC (Less than a year at Firm, 18 years in Industry)
- Fionna Ross -Sustainability Investment Specialist & Head of Sustainability Institute - Americas (14 years at Firm, 14 years in Industry)
- Toby Grubb - Sustainability Support (1 year at Firm, 1 year in Industry)
Equity:
- Sarah Norris - Head of ESG - Equities (11 years at Firm, 12 years in Industry)
- David Smith - Senior Investment Director (10 years at Firm, 16 years in Industry)
- Jerry Goh - Investment Manager (7 years at Firm, 7 years in Industry)
- Daniel Ng - Investment Manager (5 years at Firm, 5 years in Industry)
- Andrew Risk - UK Equity ESG Analyst (Less than a year at Firm, 9 years in Industry)
- Fraser Harle - Investment Analyst (6 years at Firm, 7 years in Industry)
- Tzoulianna Leventi - ESG Analyst and Investment Analyst (4 years at Firm, 4 years in Industry)
- Jonny Salvage - ESG Analyst - European Equities (Less than a year at Firm, 4 years in Industry)
Multi-Asset:
- Craig MacKenzie - Head of SAA Research (11 years at Firm, 25 years in Industry)
- Catie Wearmouth - ESG Investment Director – Multi Asset Solutions (1 year at Firm, 23 years in Industry)
- Fiona Ritchie - ESG Investment Manager (10 years at Firm, 35 years in Industry)
Fixed Income:
- Marianne Zangerl - Head of ESG Fixed Income (7 years at Firm, 13 years in Industry)
- Nicholas Kordowski - Head of Non-Financials Research (12 years at Firm, 18 years in Industry)
- Andrew Fraser - Head of Financials Research (13 years at Firm, 31 years in Industry)
- George Westervelt - Head of US HY Research (13 years at Firm, 23 years in Industry)
- Julien Martin - Head of Euro HY Research (9 years at Firm, 17 years in Industry)Paul Lukaszewski - Head of Asian Corporate Debt & Emerging Market Credit Research (11 years at Firm, 21 years in Industry)
- Matthew Kence - Investment Director (12 years at Firm, 19 years in Industry)
- Josef Helmes - Investment Director (10 years at Firm, 21 years in Industry)
- Mark Munro - Investment Director (9 years at Firm, 16 years in Industry)
- Samuel Bevan - Investment Manager (10 years at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Henry Loh - Investment Manager (8 years at Firm, 8 years in Industry)
- Emilia Matei - Investment Analyst (7 years at Firm, 7 years in Industry)
- Kate McGrath - ESG Analyst - Fixed Income (3 years at Firm, 3 years in Industry)
- Scott McQuiston - ESG Analyst - Fixed Income (2 years at Firm, 2 years in Industry)
- Khashayar Lotfizadeh - Global Head of Quantitative Analytics (8 years at Firm, 8 years in Industry)
- Samuel Grantham - Investment Director (9 years at Firm, 9 years in Industry)
- Thomas Leys - Investment Director (9 years at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Jonathan Mondillo - Head of Municipals (4 years at Firm, 17 years in Industry)
- Nicole Lim - Investment Analyst (1 year at Firm, 5 years in Industry)
- Curt Starer - Investment Director (15 years at Firm, 22 years in Industry)
- Janaka Nanayakkara - Investment Director (7 years at Firm, 15 years in Industry)
- Albane Poulin - Head of European Private Placements (7 years at Firm, 10 years in Industry)
- Eliza Uphadya - Lending Manager (6 years at Firm 6 years in Industry)
Dialshifter
Our organisation is helping to support the Paris Climate Agreement and the Race to Net Zero by…
abrdn strongly supports the objectives of the Paris Agreement. We are committed to playing a constructive role in the decarbonisation of the global economy and serving the long-term interests of our clients. We have developed a business-wide approach to support the goals of the Paris Agreement based on five principles:
- Public policy advocacy
- Rigorous climate scenario analysis
- Responsible stewardship
- abrdn net zero real estate commitment
- Reporting: tracking carbon and climate solutions
Further information on these principles and our approach to Paris alignment is available here: https://www.abrdn.com/docs?editionId=407977f9-165c-4edf-a894-13d005e4ac3f
SDR Labelling:
Not eligible to use label
Fund Name | SRI Style | SDR Labelling | Product | Region | Asset Type | Launch Date | Last Amended |
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abrdn SICAV I - Emerging Markets ex China Equity Fund |
Sustainability Tilt | Not eligible to use label | SICAV/Offshore | Emerging Markets | Equity | 30/06/2017 | Oct 2022 | |
Fund Size: £98.56m (as at: 30/11/2024) Total Screened Themed SRI Assets: £29131.00m (as at: 30/06/2022) Total Responsible Ownership Assets: £29131.00m (as at: 30/06/2022) Total Assets Under Management: £508407.00m (as at: 30/06/2022) ISIN: LU1581387781, LU1583308223, LU2313237088, LU2313237245, LU2313237161, LU1581388326, LU1581389050 |
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Sustainable, Responsible &/or ESG OverviewNo response when requested update from manager (August 2024) Fund manager happy with infomation displayed (as at July 2023)
A high conviction, actively-managed portfolio of high quality, sustainably managed companies. The fund is positively tilted towards companies with a strong track-record of managing their environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities. The Fund aims to achieve a combination of growth and income by investing in companies identified by the Investment Manager’s “Sustainable and Responsible” investment process and are based in Emerging Markets countries. The Fund aims to outperform the MSCI Emerging Markets Index (USD) benchmark before charges.
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Primary fund last amended: Oct 2022 |
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Information received directly from Fund Manager |
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Fund FiltersSustainability - 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. Environmental - General
Environmental policy
Funds that have policies which relate to environmental issues. These will typically set out the fund's stance on issues such as pollution, climate change, resource management, biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, plastics and/or additional environmental impacts. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.
Limits exposure to carbon intensive industries
Funds that limit or 'reduce' their exposure to carbon intensive industries (ie sectors which are major contributors to climate change. Funds vary - some funds may be 'underweight' in this area which means they may have some investment in highly carbon intensive areas. Funds of this kind may choose companies they consider to be 'best in sector' and encourage ever higher standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further details.
Environmental damage and pollution policy
Funds that have written policies explaining the approach they take when companies damage the environment or are significant polluters. Funds of this kind may work with companies to encourage higher standards, or exclude companies - sometimes dependent on the situation. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.
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. Climate Change & Energy
Climate change / greenhouse gas emissions policy
Funds that have policies (documented strategies that explain their position on) climate change related issues such as greenhouse gas/carbon emissions, net zero, transitioning to lower carbon. Strategies vary. Read fund details for further information.
Coal, oil & / or gas majors excluded
Funds that avoid investing in major coal, oil and/or gas (extraction) companies. Funds vary: some may exclude all companies that extract oil. Others may have exposure to oil extraction via more diversified energy companies. See fund literature to confirm details.
Fracking and tar sands excluded
Funds that avoid companies involved in fracking and tar sands - which are widely regarded as controversial methods of oil and gas extraction. Strategies vary. See fund information for further information.
Arctic drilling exclusion
Funds that avoid companies that are involved in extracting oil from the Arctic regions. See fund literature for further details.
Fossil fuel reserves exclusion
Funds that avoid investing in companies with coal, oil and gas reserves. See fund information for further details.
Invests in clean energy / renewables
Funds that hold companies in the clean energy and renewable energy sectors (at the time research was supplied). Fund strategies vary, in particular the proportion of investment in these areas may vary significantly. Check fund literature for details.
Nuclear exclusion policy
Find funds that have policies which say they avoid or limit their investment in the nuclear industry. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.
Paris aligned fund strategy
This fund has a strategy that aims ensure its holdings will gradually reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in line with targets set at COP21 in Paris. The ultimate aim is to achieve ‘net zero emissions by 2050’ and a ‘maximum global temperature increase of +1.5 to +2 degrees above preindustrial levels’. Strategies and opinions vary. Read fund information. 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.
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.
Armaments manufacturers avoided
Find funds that avoid companies that manufacture products intended specifically for military use. Fund strategies vary - particularly with regard to non-strategic military products. See fund literature for fund specific details.
Alcohol production excluded
Find funds that avoid investment in companies involved in the production of alcohol. Strategies vary; some funds allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund literature for further information.
Gambling avoidance policy
Find funds that avoid companies with significant involvement in the gambling industry. Some funds may allow a small proportion of profits to come from this area. See fund policy for further details.
Pornography avoidance policy
Find funds that avoid companies that derive significant income from pornography and related areas. Strategies vary. See fund details for further information. Human Rights
Human rights policy
Find funds that have policies relating to human rights issues. Funds of this kind typically require companies to demonstrate higher standards, although some fund managers work to encourage improvements. Investee companies are often judged against internationally agreed norms or standards. Strategies vary. See fund information for further detail.
Child labour exclusion
Find funds that have policies in place to ensure they do not invest in companies that employ children.
Oppressive regimes (not free or democratic) exclusion policy
Find funds with policies that exclude companies or other assets where regimes are not democratic, or where people may be oppressed. May use eg. Freedom House research. Strategies vary. See fund literature for further information.
Responsible supply chain policy or theme
Find funds that have policies or a theme that relates to the responsible management of supply chains. These may relate to employment issues, notably people employed by their suppliers, as well as the sourcing of materials and products. See fund literature for further information. 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.
Gilts / government bonds - exclude all
Find funds that do not invest in, or exclude, gilts and/or government bonds. 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) 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. Asset Size
Over 50% large cap companies
Find funds that 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 in small, mid and large cap companies / assets
Find a fund that invests in a combination of small, medium and larger (potentially multinational)companies.
Invests mostly in large cap companies / assets
Find funds that have SRI strategies and focus their investment stock selection on larger companies. (e.g. over circa £5-£10bn) Impact Methodologies
Invests in environmental solutions companies
Find funds that direct investment towards companies where a major part of their business is about solving environmental challenges. e.g. companies helping to address climate change.
Invests in social solutions companies
Find funds that invest in companies where a major part of their business is specifically aimed at helping to address social challenges. e.g. companies helping to address poverty.
Invests in sustainability / ESG disruptors
Find funds that specifically set out to invest in companies that are regarded as 'disrupting' existing business practices - typically through the development of innovative (sustainability aware) products and/or practices. How The Fund Works
Positive selection bias
Find funds that focus on finding and investing in companies with positive / beneficial attributes. This strategy can be applied in addition to exclusion criteria and engagement/stewardship activity.
Negative selection bias
Find funds where their main 'ethical approach' is to avoid companies by using negative screening criteria. Read fund literature for further information.
Strictly screened ethical fund
Find funds where their main approach is to apply positive or negative ethical, social and / or environmental screens. Strictly screened funds are likely to exclude more companies than other related fund options. See fund literature for further information.
ESG weighted / tilt
Find funds that invest more heavily in those that have higher ESG ratings/standards or scores and less heavily in companies with lower ESG ratings. Where this is central to a fund's strategy you should expect it to invest in most sectors. Strategies vary.
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.
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
Available via an ISA (OEIC only)
Find funds that are available via a tax efficient ISA product wrapper. Labels & Accreditations
SFDR Article 8 fund / product (EU)
Finds funds classified under Article 8 of the EU’s SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Requirements). Article 8 of the SFDR is a set of requirements that apply to financial products that 'promote' environmental or social characteristics with high governance also. These rules do not currently apply to UK funds so many managers may leave this field blank. Fund Management Company InformationAbout The Business
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.
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.
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
Fund EcoMarket partner
Find fund management companies that have partnered with Fund EcoMarket - meaning that they are helping to improve access to information on sustainable and responsible investment by paying an annual fee to us which enables us to publish information for free. Partner funds are listed ahead of other funds and have their logos displayed.
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. Accreditations
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.
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.) Climate & Net Zero Transition
Voting policy includes net zero targets (AFM company wide)
Fund manager AGM / EGM voting strategy has processes in place that mean they will normally be expected to vote in a way that will encourage the transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Net Zero - have set a Net Zero target date (AFM company wide)
This asset management company has set a date by which they plan to achieve net zero greenhouse gas / CO2e emissions.
Encourage carbon / greenhouse gas reduction (AFM company wide)
Find fund management companies that are working with the companies they invest in to encourage reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Carbon offsetting - offset carbon as part of our net zero plan (AFM company wide)
This 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.
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. 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.
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:Assessment Criteria The fund follows a clear three stage process of reviewing and rating companies for inclusion in the portfolio which combines: a series of binary negative screens a screen based on our internal RI scoring methodology positive allocation to high quality, sustainably managed companies.
We will not invest in companies which:
RI scoring methodology Aberdeen Standard Investments’ ESG House score was designed by our cross-asset class ESG Investment team to provide a view of how companies manage their ESG risks. The ESG score is a quantitative measure of a broad selection of company-specific data points which are weighted according to materiality for the individual company’s sub-industry classification. The score is divided into a governance component, incorporating both corporate governance and behaviour, and an operational component which looks at metrics in four core areas – climate change, environment, labour management, human rights and stakeholders. This allows us to understand the sources of ESG risk and helps to inform our engagement strategy. The ESG score provides a view of how companies are positioned globally in relation to their management of all ESG issues. The Governance element of the score compares companies relative to the global universe and the Operational element of the score compares companies relative to global sector peers. The strategy uses the ESG score to set a hurdle rate for companies to be included in the investable universe. Companies in sectors or sub-industries designated as medium or high risk by our cross-asset class ESG Investment team which fail the hurdle rate are deemed uninvestable. For the Emerging Markets SRI Equity strategy we calculate the hurdle rate for the ESG House Score based on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Only companies which score better than the hurdle rate ESG score are deemed investable. At any one time we expect the hurdle rate to exclude a minimum of 10% of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, by number, focusing on the ESG House Score of high and medium risk sectors in the Index. This is calculated after the exclusion of names which fail the binary negative screens. The hurdle rate is reviewed quarterly by the portfolio manager and the ESG Investment team.
Positive allocation Our research process identified high quality companies which we believe will outperform over the business cycle. As part of our research process companies under coverage are assigned a quality (Q) score by the analyst. This is a qualitative assessment of the company’s overall quality broken down into five individual components: the industry in which the business operates the company’s business model and moat the quality of the management team the strength of the financials; and an assessment of each company’s ESG risk and opportunity profile and how well this is managed.
Companies are assigned a rating of 1 (highest quality) to 5 (worst quality), these scores are peer-reviewed by the wider team including the on-desk ESG analyst. To build a portfolio of sustainable, quality companies the fund will only invest in companies with an overall Q score and an individual ESG Q score of 3 or better. We use our research breadth and depth in emerging and frontier markets combined with our sustainable and responsible framework to identify high-quality, mispriced sustainable leaders and ESG improvers.
Engagement Engagement is a fundamental part of our investment process and provides the opportunity to assess ESG risks on a forward looking basis and to drive positive change.
Companies held in the portfolio identified as laggards from an ESG perspective through either the bottom-up equity research process or from the assessment made by the Central ESG Investment team will form part of the annual engagement programme.
During this process we identify key areas of concern and create a list of engagement priorities with milestones and regular follow up. Resources, Affiliations & Corporate Strategies:Investments Vector Sustainability Group:
Equity:
Multi-Asset:
Fixed Income:
DialshifterOur organisation is helping to support the Paris Climate Agreement and the Race to Net Zero by… abrdn strongly supports the objectives of the Paris Agreement. We are committed to playing a constructive role in the decarbonisation of the global economy and serving the long-term interests of our clients. We have developed a business-wide approach to support the goals of the Paris Agreement based on five principles:
Further information on these principles and our approach to Paris alignment is available here: https://www.abrdn.com/docs?editionId=407977f9-165c-4edf-a894-13d005e4ac3f
SDR Labelling:Not eligible to use label |