Get the right experience for you. Please select your location and investor type.
Quarterly Client Update: Second Quarter 2024
We provide regular strategy updates including portfolio changes and proxy voting, and links to our investment rationales, latest articles, statements, webcasts and videos which explore our thinking on sustainable investment, including the challenges and issues we grapple with in our search for high-quality companies.
Strategy updates: portfolio changes & proxy voting
Find out the latest updates on the strategies we manage including significant portfolio changes and proxy voting.
You can also build your own report by selecting individual strategies of interest.
Collaborative engagement update: Tackling conflict mineral content in the semiconductor supply chain – OECD Forum
In May we attended the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains in Paris. The event brings together global actors from the upstream and downstream of the mining industry, as well as government representatives, industry bodies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), investors and others to reflect on progress, challenges and opportunities regarding best practice in mining and mineral sourcing. We attended various sessions and side events, many of which featured our partners - the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) and Kumi Consulting. It was useful to hear a wide range of perspectives on the issue of conflict minerals and human rights abuses within supply chains, particularly relevant given the event coincided with the adoption of the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which introduces more stringent guidance than previous European regulation. We were lucky to also speak with professionals working in procurement and due diligence at the likes of Intel and BMW, helping us better understand their approach and outlook. There were clear calls up and down the value chain for more uniform, comprehensive and consistent regulation and action across the industry. We hope to see and continue to encourage increased collaboration and improvement in the coming months as we work with the RMI and others to build the Investor Network.1
Footnotes
1 Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) Investor Network, launched in February 2024, RMI Investor Network (responsiblemineralsinitiative.org)
Industry initiative update: Future Asset alumni visit and Summer Celebration
Future Asset encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in finance. We were delighted to host four Future Asset alumni in our Edinburgh office in June. Portfolio Manager Lorna Logan led a discussion on how we invest at Stewart Investors, the different types of roles the team have and what a typical day might look like. With our Investment Analyst Sarah Sheard, the girls discussed the sustainability pros and cons of a selection of companies. It was great to hear the girls’ ideas and we hope the visit fed their enthusiasm for the sector. In the evening, we attended the Future Asset Summer Celebration, where several alumni described their experience participating in the programme and the benefits for their confidence and skills development.
Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (SFDR): Extract of Article 9 Level 2 reporting
The SFDR Level 2 reporting template for each of our Article 9 funds is available in a standalone document and also within the First Sentier Investors Global Umbrella Fund plc 2023 Annual Report. The social and environmental outcomes for the Funds are also available on the ESG reporting page.
Reporting for the Pacific Assets Trust is included within their 2024 Annual Report and on their website.
The report contains detail on the social (human development pillars) and environmental (Project Drawdown climate solutions) outcomes, transparency on any harmful products and services and Principal Adverse Indicators (PAIs) plus engagement and voting information.
