Stonehage Fleming Investment Management (“SFIM”) the investment division of one of the world’s leading international Family Offices, announces the launch of its Global Sustainable Equity Fund (“GSEF” or “the Fund”) having successfully launched its Global Sustainable Investment Portfolios (“GSIP”) in 2019.
The Fund will replicate the equity component of GSIP, which has returned 39.42% for the 19 months ending 30th April 2021 versus the global equity benchmark, MSCI ACWI at +23.04% (GBP).
Since launch, the Fund has already attracted over $106 million in assets from private and professional investors demonstrating clear demand for global sustainable equity strategies.
Mona Shah, Director at Stonehage Fleming Investment Management, says: “We strongly believe that today’s portfolio returns should not be at the expense of future generations. The outlook for ESG strategies today is more interesting than at the start of 2020 and we have seen increased appetite for this approach as clients actively seek to demonstrate their social capital in their investment philosophy and measure their positive contribution. By launching the Global Sustainable Equity Fund, we are going some way to meet their demands.”
Graham Wainer, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Investments at Stonehage Fleming Investment Management, adds: “We made the decision that this, our first standalone sustainable investment fund, should be focused solely on equity investments as we see them as the key drivers of return. Our equity investments can tackle a breadth of issues, including building back from Covid-19 and helping to address the majority of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. We can also measure and report the impact that our clients’ investments make towards creating a sustainable planet and society.”
Guy Hudson, Partner and Head of Group Marketing at Stonehage Fleming, said: “Our published proprietary research, ‘The Four Pillars of Capital: A time for reflection’ (2020) found that ultra-high net worth families and wealth creators have remained committed to ESG investment, despite the impact of COVID-19. 83% of respondents that applied ESG principles to their investments had not wavered from this, even as the pandemic caused turbulence in markets in the first half of 2020.”
Shah concludes: “Government spending towards the green economy has never been so strong, and the run up to COP26 in November could create a platform for further policy support. Our Global Sustainable Equity Fund is well placed to capture this momentum as well as investment into other social issues, including education and gender equality.”
The Global Sustainable Equity Fund is now available. Further details can be found here: www.stonehagefleming.com/investments/esg
