Baillie Gifford has launched the Responsible Global Equity Income fund which will adhere to the UN Global Compact principles in its stock selection process.
The fund, which has been launched following investor demand, seeks to deliver attractive long-term income and growth through investing in responsible companies. It has been seeded with more than £50m from existing Baillie Gifford clients and is managed by a team headed by Toby Ross and James Dow, who manage the group's £525m Global Income Growth fund and £600m Scottish American Investment Company.
The managers will pursue the same outcomes for the fund which is to obtain a higher yield than the FTSE All World index whilst achieving growth in both income and capital over the long-term. They will also build on their emphasis for sustainable growth. This will be done by excluding stocks in certain industries such as tobacco, alcohol and armaments and by adhering to the principles of the UN Global Compact, covering areas such as human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
The fund is the first of its kind in the IA Global Equity Income sector to focus specifically on responsible investments. It has an estimated ongoing charge of 0.63% for Class B shares.
Manager Ross said:
"Investors have often had to make a choice between investing for income and investing for the greater good. This fund bridges this gap for those seeking a high and rising income from responsible equity investments. By hard wiring both negative exclusions and the broader consideration of the UN Global Compact into our stock selection process, and applying it to the best investment opportunities from around the world, we are confident we will be able to invest both sustainably and responsibly on behalf of our clients."
- uploaded - 3 April 2019