Liontrust Sustainable Investment | Liontrust Asset Management PLC

Liontrust Sustainable Investment Team

The Liontrust Sustainable Investment team have been managing money in this way for nearly 20 years since they launched their Sustainable Future (SF) funds in 2001.

The 13-strong team’s distinct investment process combines negative and positive screening and identifying the key structural growth trends that will shape the sustainable global economy of the future. The team looks at the world through the prism of three mega trends – Better resource efficiency (cleaner), Improved health (healthier) and Greater safety and resilience (safer) – and then 20 themes within these. The team invests in well run companies whose products and operations capitalise on these transformative changes.

Recently awarded sustainability labels

We’re proud that a number of our funds have recently been awarded sustainability labels. The Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Global Growth and the Liontrust GF Sustainable Future European Corporate Bond funds have been recognised by the French Label ISR and the Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Global Growth Fund has been awarded the prestigious Febelfin sustainability label.

The Febelfin label, which recognises sustainable and socially responsible financial products, is an initiative from the Belgian federation for the financial sector and seeks to reassure investors that their ‘socially responsible’ investment is not exposed to activities and practices that are considered 'unsustainable'. The label also aims to lead to an increase in socially responsible and sustainable financial funds, and to encourage traditional financial funds and products to adopt its quality standard. You can learn more about the Towards Sustainability initiative and how the Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Global Growth Fund meets the criteria of the label here.

SRI labels

Sustainable Future Annual Review 2019

The Sustainable team’s Annual Review measures the impact of their investments and analyses the success of their engagement initiatives.

Read the review

Sustainable Investment Team Engagement & Voting Review 2019

The team has been engaging on key ESG issues for nearly two decades to challenge and encourage companies to manage proactively the wider aspects of their businesses and implement better practices. In the 2019 Review, the team reflects on the impact of their engagement and their priorities for the next few years.

Download the review

One and a Half Degree Transition Challenge

The Liontrust Sustainable Investment team’s latest initiative is the One and a Half Degree Transition Challenge that was launched in early 2020. This is calling for all companies held within the SF funds to explain how they plan to decarbonise their businesses to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Over 200 companies held across the funds have until the end of 2020 to provide a plan for how they are going to reach zero carbon emissions and over what time period this will be achieved. The team will use all measures at their disposal, including voting and ultimately divesting over time, to persuade companies to reduce their emissions.

Liontrust Sustainable Investment team - 1.5 degree transition challenge

Recent insights from the team

Liontrust Sustainability Report 2020

Liontrust’s first-ever Sustainability Report provides detailed information about how the business is managed to ensure we have a positive impact on clients, stakeholders and society. This includes being a responsible investor, doing our part on climate change, developing a diverse and talented staff, and being a good corporate citizen. Find out more

Nuclear power – still no thanks in 2020?

Peter Michaelis

The terrible events of the first half of the year have further highlighted the issues of social inequality and the parlous state of our natural world. Liontrust’s Peter Michaelis explains why capital markets and competition between companies can serve society to help produce a more sustainable world. Read more

Should 2020’s unpredictability force a sustainable rethink?

Peter Michaelis

Why low-cost gyms remain fit for our funds post Covid-19

Martyn Jones, 31 July 2020

Despite concerns about how quickly people will return to the UK’s freshly reopened gyms, Martyn Jones believes a few low-cost disruptors, with their cheaper fees and flexible membership, will increasingly dominate the market. Read more

What are the prospects for Sustainable growth in the UK?

Peter Michaelis

Following the enforced behavioural changes by Covid-19, Peter Michaelis analyses which UK stocks may benefit from positive structural growth over the long term. Read more

Investing for a cleaner, safer and healthier world

See more

The team

The Sustainable Investment team - Equities

Peter Michaelis (left) and Simon Clements (right)

Peter Michaelis and Simon Clements are the lead managers of the Liontrust Sustainable Future Equities Process. The team transferred to Liontrust from Alliance Trust Investments (ATI) in April 2017 and were previously running the Sustainable Future Fund range at Aviva Investors.

The Sustainable Investment team - Fixed Income

Stuart Steven (centre), Kenny Watson (left) & Aitken Ross (right)

Stuart Steven, Kenny Watson and Aitken Ross transferred to Liontrust from ATI in April 2017. Stuart was previously Investment Director at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership. Kenny was formerly at Ignis Asset Management where he was responsible for the sub investment grade bond portfolios. Aitken started his career in the graduate scheme at ATI.

Advisory Committee

We have a five-strong external Advisory Committee to provide another layer of expertise in key areas of social and environmental impact: Jonathon Porritt, Sophia Tickell, Tony Greenham, Tim Jackson and Valborg Lie.

Equity funds

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Global Growth Fund

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Pan-European Growth Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Managed Growth Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Cautious Managed Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Defensive Managed Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future European Growth Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Global Growth Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Managed Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future UK Growth Fund

Liontrust UK Ethical Fund

Fixed income funds

Liontrust Monthly Income Bond Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Corporate Bond Fund

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future European Corporate Bond

Investment Week Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020

SF Managed Growth Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020

Liontrust SF Managed Fund

Best Managed Growth Fund

SF Managed Balanced Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020

Liontrust SF Cautious Managed Fund

Best Managed Balanced Fund

Documents

Further information on the Sustainable Investment team's screening criteria, policies, governance engagement and voting can be found below.

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Private investors

Find out how to invest in Liontrust's range of sustainable funds.

How to invest

Professional advisers

There are a number of ways advisers can invest in Liontrust's sustainable funds on behalf of clients.

How to invest

Key Risks

Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Do remember that the value of an investment and the income generated from them can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed, therefore, you may not get back the amount originally invested and potentially risk total loss of capital. The majority of the Liontrust Sustainable Future Funds have holdings which are denominated in currencies other than Sterling and may be affected by movements in exchange rates. Some of these funds invest in emerging markets which may involve a higher element of risk due to less well regulated markets and political and economic instability. Consequently the value of an investment may rise or fall in line with the exchange rates. Liontrust UK Ethical Fund, Liontrust SF European Growth Fund and Liontrust SF UK Growth Fund invest geographically in a narrow range and has a concentrated portfolio of securities, there is an increased risk of volatility which may result in frequent rises and falls in the Fund’s share price. Liontrust SF Managed Fund, Liontrust SF Corporate Bond Fund, Liontrust SF Cautious Managed Fund, Liontrust SF Defensive Managed Fund and Liontrust Monthly Income Bond Fund invest in bonds and other fixed-interest securities - fluctuations in interest rates are likely to affect the value of these financial instruments. If long-term interest rates rise, the value of your shares is likely to fall. If you need to access your money quickly it is possible that, in difficult market conditions, it could be hard to sell holdings in corporate bond funds. This is because there is low trading activity in the markets for many of the bonds held by these funds. Mentioned above five funds can also invest in derivatives. Derivatives are used to protect against currencies, credit and interests rates move or for investment purposes. There is a risk that losses could be made on derivative positions or that the counterparties could fail to complete on transactions.

Disclaimer

The information and opinions provided should not be construed as advice for investment in any product or security mentioned, an offer to buy or sell units/shares of Funds mentioned, or a solicitation to purchase securities in any company or investment product. Always research your own investments and (if you are not a professional or a financial adviser) consult suitability with a regulated financial adviser before investing.