Liontrust Sustainable Investment | Liontrust Asset Management PLC

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20 Years of Investing for a Positive Future

The Liontrust Sustainable Investment team have been managing their Sustainable Future (SF) funds for 20 years. Since the funds’ launch in 2001, Peter Michaelis and the team have been seeking companies to help create a cleaner, safer and healthier society for the future and generate attractive returns for investors.

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 21 themes within these. The team invests in well run companies whose products and operations capitalise on these transformative changes.

All the sustainable elements in managing the SF funds are integrated within a single team: there are not separate fund management and ESG divisions.

20 Years of Sustainable Investing

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 and Liontrust GF Sustainable Future European Corporate Bond funds have 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 and Liontrust GF Sustainable Future European Corporate Bond funds meet the criteria of the label here.

 

SRI labels

Sustainable Investment Annual Review 2019           

Liontrust Sustainable Investment 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

Liontrust Sustainable Investment Engagement and 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

Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)

The SFDR is now live. Learn more about how Liontrust is complying with the new requirements.

Statement on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

Recent insights from the team

Liontrust Insights - Article
Active stewardship: building trust through integrity
Harriet Parker, 8 March 2021
Harriet Parker explains why engagement is key to driving positive change at companies as well as dealing with controversies. Read more
Liontrust Insights - Article
Goodbye to an old friend – GW Pharma to leave Sustainable funds after 20 years
Peter Michaelis, 26 February 2021

One of the longest held companies in the Sustainable Future funds is to exit the portfolios with the acquisition of GW Pharma completing in Q2. Peter Michaelis explains how this innovative healthcare business encapsulates what the team look for in sustainable companies. Read more

Liontrust Insights - Article
Ongoing evolution of our Sustainable Investment themes
Peter Michaelis, 17 December 2020
The Sustainable Investment team have added a new leisure theme and updated three others as part of their annual review. Peter Michaelis explains the reasoning behind and opportunities for these themes. Read more
Liontrust Insights - Article
1.5 Degree Transition Challenge: engagement update
Mike Appleby, 7 December 2020
At the start of 2020, the Liontrust Sustainable Investment team called for all companies within its equity and bond funds to explain how they plan to decarbonise their businesses to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Mike Appleby gives a progress report on the engagement activity. Read more
Liontrust Insights - Article
Early detection and ongoing innovation key in cancer fight
Laurie Don, 27 November 2020
With many cancers detected too late for treatment, Laurie Don highlights ongoing work in the field of liquid biopsy as the kind of innovation that continues to attract the Sustainable Investment team to the healthcare sector. Read more

Liontrust SF Managed Funds Salesaid

Sustainable Fund Impact Reports

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Global Growth Fund

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future Pan-European Growth Fund

Liontrust GF Sustainable Future European Corporate Bond

Liontrust Monthly Income Bond Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Cautious Managed Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future Corporate Bond 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 Managed Growth Fund

Liontrust Sustainable Future UK Growth Fund

Liontrust UK Ethical Fund

Investing for a cleaner, safer and healthier world

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The team

The Sustainable Investment team - Equities
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.

Read more

The Sustainable Investment team - Fixed Income
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.

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Liontrust Sustainable Investment Advisory Committee
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.

Read more

Liontrust Sustainability Report 2020

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

Recent Awards

Professional Adviser Awards 2021 - Best ESG Solution for Advisers
Professional Adviser Awards 2021
Best ESG Solution for Advisers
Liontrust SF Managed Funds
SF Managed Growth Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020
IW Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020
Best Managed Growth Fund
Liontrust SF Managed Fund 
SF Managed Balanced Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020
IW Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2020
Best Managed Balanced Fund
Liontrust SF Cautious Managed 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

Liontrust Sustainable Investment team - How to invest - Private investors

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


How to invest

Professional advisers

Liontrust Sustainable Investment team - How to invest - Professional investors

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. 
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