Australian Social Investment Trust – SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT At Mercer, we invest your money sustainably to help you maximize your returns, make a positive impact and be part of a brighter, more sustainable future.
A sustainable investment approach involves incorporating the consideration of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors and active ownership principles into investment processes to create and preserve long-term investment capital. Examples of ESG factors are shown below.
Australian Social Investment Trust
We believe that a sustainable investment approach is more likely to help you grow and preserve your investment over the long term and, more specifically, that:
Pdf) Some Determinants Of The Socially Responsible Investment Decision: A Cross Country Study
Accordingly, we believe that a sustainable investment approach that takes into account these risks and opportunities is in your best interest as an investor.
If you want to invest according to a wider set of ethical criteria – such as excluding investments in companies involved in the production of alcohol, carbon-intensive fossil fuels, gambling and pornography – we have a range of sustainable funds for you to choose from. These funds also have a greater proportion of sustainability-themed assets. See the Sustainability Theme Funds section below for more information.
Climate change is an issue for investment portfolios, with financial impacts driven by two key sources of change. The first is the physical damage expected from an increase in the average global temperature, and the second is the associated transition to a low-carbon economy. Each of these changes presents risks and opportunities for investors, as detailed in Mercer’s Investing in a Time of Climate Change reports.
Mercer’s investment approach to climate change provides more detail on how we address the risks and opportunities of climate change in the Mercer funds.
Pdf) The Landscape Of Social Impact Investment Research: Trends And Opportunities
We engage with companies to support the realization of long-term shareholder value for our Funds. Engagement can be done with companies via investment managers, collaborative initiatives and/or directly to enhance the long-term value of the company.
We also participate in a number of initiatives where we partner with other investors for greater impact. Below are the current initiatives we support.
As a shareholder of publicly listed companies, Mercer has the right to vote at shareholder meetings. Mercer delegates our voting responsibility for proxies to the listed equity managers we appoint.
The Proxy Voting Search website contains more information about our voting activity, which is updated annually within three months of the end of the financial year. You can search for specific proxy votes for the last financial year (July 1 to June 30).
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Mercer may review portfolios for sectors, companies, products or activities that are deemed to cause an unacceptable level of harm, or are guilty of serious violations of the law or of generally accepted conduct, or are deemed not to meet the ESG standards as outlined in our ESG integration approach. We also monitor high seriousness violations of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) principles regarding human rights, environmental and corruption issues, identified by our external ESG research provider.
As a general principle, we are committed to investing responsibly and prefer an approach based on integration and engagement. However, there are a limited number of cases in which exclusions may be deemed necessary.
See the Mercer Funds supplementary information booklet for more details. Changes to our exclusions may be made in the future.
We offer a number of sustainability-themed funds that have a wider range of ethical exclusions and higher exposure to sustainability-themed assets, in addition to the previously mentioned ESG considerations. The managers assigned to these funds must achieve the highest ESG1 or ESG2 research ratings from Mercer and typically target their investment process to opportunities related to solutions to sustainability challenges.
Impact Investing: The Third Dimension
The Product Disclosure Statements for the following Funds set out additional ethical exclusions, which apply only to these Funds.
Mercer supports the Modern Slavery Act and has established a Modern Slavery Working Group to ensure that our investments and businesses do not contribute to human exploitation. We published our first Modern Slavery Statement (as a group of Marsh McLennan companies in the Pacific region) in May 2021, we are working to publish our Modern Slavery Statement before June 2021, and we are pleased to share our new investment approach to modern slavery.
Since 2004, Mercer has pioneered new investment research on ESG, climate change and sustainability globally. In Australia, we formalized our Sustainable Investment Policy in 2014 and continue to contribute to the evolution of industry best practice and develop our policy accordingly. progress and continued commitment.
Mercer is recognized as a leader in responsible investing by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA). The Responsible Investment Benchmark Report Australia 2020 scored investment managers against its Responsible Investment Scorecard, which rewards managers not only for being strong stewards and considering ESG factors in investment decisions, but also for transparency (RI policies, ownership, management activities and results ). avoid damage. and allocate capital for solutions.
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Mercer was awarded the SVA Social Impact Fund (Principles for Responsible Investment, PRI) The SVA Social Impact Fund (SIF) was a $9 million fund established to provide loans and equity investments to Australian social enterprises. The SIF is now closed.
The fund was launched in 2012 with a funding grant from the Australian government, combined with the investment of 37 private investors.
The SIF provided loans and capital investments between $100,000 and $1.5 million to ten social enterprises and housing projects. The SIF has generated competitive returns (about 6.7% IRR per year since inception) and created a significant impact, as detailed in the table below.
The SVA Diversified Impact Fund continues to provide funding to organizations that make a significant social impact on the lives of people in Australia.
Australia Residence By Investment
The SIF reports on a half-yearly basis, in March (mid-year update) and October (annual update). Download previous reports for more information about the Fund.
Summary: STREAT is a hospitality social enterprise providing work experience, training and support to young people at risk. SVA, together with co-investment from NAB, funded the construction of STREAT’s new headquarters in Cromwell Street, Collingwood, to increase the number of young people trained and supported by STREAT.
Purpose of loan: Loan to finance the construction of STREAT’s new headquarters in Cromwell St, Collingwood, which will include coffee, catering, bakery and grill.
Type of investment: Redeemable Convertible Preference Shares (RCPS). RCPS has a fixed coupon rate (subject to cash flow) and a conversion right within the first 5 years
Singapore Fintech Startups
Social Impact: As of December 31, 2013, PGM employed 32 disadvantaged jobseekers or 87% of total frontline employees.
Social Impact: As of December 31, 2013, Ability has created 41 jobs for people with disabilities and/or mental health issues and is looking to expand its operations.
$100,000 loan to help finance the acquisition of an office furniture recycling business that will employ a number of job seekers with disabilities.
Summary: Loan of $100,000 to help finance the acquisition of an office furniture recycling business that will employ a number of job seekers with disabilities.
Singapore Business Review (january
Purpose of loan: Acquisition by Christie Center of a business that buys, restores and sells used office furniture to Mildura businesses.
Social purpose: Creation of permanent work for people with disabilities. In addition, any surplus from operations will be reinvested in the wider Christie Center operations. Christie Center has a strong history as an NFP ADE.
Summary: Nightingale Housing is a social enterprise with a new model to improve the affordability and sustainability of housing. SVA provided financing as part of a $6.5 million syndicated construction loan for its pilot project – a multi-residential housing complex for first-time home buyers.
Type of investment: 12-month secured construction loan, fixed rate 7.5% p.a. with interest and principal bullet repayments on the sale of the first two homes
Schroder Sustainable Growth Fund
Purpose: To finance the purchase of land and the construction of 6 houses, two to be retained for social and affordable housing
Social purpose: Housing social and affordable tenants after the end of the building, demonstrating a sustainable model not funded by the government to scale
Social Impact: As of December 31, 2013, the center is open, with two part-time GPs and six other tenants. GP revenue has steadily grown by 27% month-on-month over the past six months.
$250,000 convertible loan to fund business growth to provide an affordable music school in regional and remote Australia.
Corporate Collective Investment Vehicles: A New Fund Structure Becomes Reality
Summary: $250,000 convertible loan to fund business growth to provide affordable music education in regional and remote Australia.
Social purpose: To provide affordable music education to primary school students or younger in regional and remote communities across Australia
Social Impact: Over 3,750 students enrolled in schools serving 126 schools with an average ICSEA of 959.
$800,000 loan to assist an indigenous clearing company that secured a significant contract with one of Australia’s largest mining services companies.
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Summary: Loan of $800,000 to assist an indigenous and personal cleaning company that secured a significant contract with one of Australia’s largest mining services companies.
Purpose of Loan: Working capital to assist in the mobilization of a secured Iman Operations commercial cleaning contract with Thiess at a QGC site in the Surat Basin, QLD.
Social objective: Creating up to 80 jobs for indigenous workers during the duration of the contract. Iman Operations is a wholly owned subsidiary of Iman Nation, an indigenously owned and operated NFP. A strong employment pathway and job readiness training will be provided by an Indigenous employment provider.
Social Impact: Once established, Inside the Brick will donate 50%
Social Determinants Of Health In Australia
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