How we evaluate products
Responsible Investment strategies, processes, practices and disclosures are assessed against the eight criteria for product certification in the Responsible Investment Standard and accompanying Guidance and Assessment Notes.
What this symbol means
General certification: This Symbol signifies that a product or service offers an investment style that takes into account environmental, social, governance or ethical considerations, and that it adheres to the operational and disclosure practices required under the Responsible Investment Certification Program for the category of Product.
Sustainable Plus classification: This Symbol signifies that a product or service has been certified and classified to offer an investment style that takes into account environmental, social, governance or ethical considerations, with embedded, measurable and reported sustainability objectives aligned with portfolio holdings and stewardship practices, adhering to the operational and disclosure practices required under the Responsible Investment Certification Program for the category of Product.
<span class="text-size-xxsmall">The content on this webpage is provided by Responsible Investment Association Australasia Ltd (ACN 641 046 666, AFSL 554110). For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. Certain content provided may constitute a summary or extract from the offer document of a financial product. Any general advice has been provided without reference to your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. If the advice relates to the acquisition of a particular financial product for which an offer document (such as a product disclosure document) is available, you should obtain the offer document relating to the particular financial product and consider it before making any decision whether to acquire the product. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial products’ future performance. To obtain information tailored to your situation, contact a financial adviser.</span>
Themes & Issues
Society
Environment
<span class="text-size-xxsmall">For RIAA’s definitions of the themes included and issues avoided, please view this guide. Product-specific exclusion criteria and practices may vary. You can find these by referring directly to the product provider.</span>
Overview
Our universe comprises all companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (“ASX”). For the NorthStar Impact Australian Equities Fund, we only select from companies where their core business has a positive social or environmental impact, that is, their core product and/or services (the “What”). We also look at how they produce and deliver these goods and services (the “How”), and examine their environmental, social and governance factors – both standard ESG factors that are relevant to all companies (e.g. diversity) and industry and company-specific factors. The companies that pass through this screening, we deem to be Positive Impact Companies.
Description
- Renewable energy (SDG 7: Affordable & Clean Energy; SDG 13: Climate Action)
- Land and resource management (SDG 6: Clean Water & Sanitation; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 15: Life on Land)
- Well-being: Health care services (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being)
- Well-being: Medical devices (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being)
- Well-being: Pharmaceuticals (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being)
- Care and support (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5: Gender Equality; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Affordable housing (SDG 10; SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities)
- Education (SDG 4: Quality Education)
- Healthy living (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being; SDG 14: Life Below Water; SDG 15: Life on Land)
- Financial and Other Inclusion (SDG 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities).
Exclusions:
However, for clarity we explicitly exclude several industries and behaviours. This means that we do not invest in a company that has exposure to the following industries, even if their core business activity is positively impactful:
- Alcohol
- Fossil fuel production
- Gambling
- Logging of old forests
- Nuclear and Uranium mining
- Pornography
- Predatory lending
- Tobacco
- Weapons