Investors get access to Nikko's SRI fund

Nikko Asset Management has decided to open up its wholesale SRI Fund to KiwiSaver members.

Monday, February 14th 2022, 8:58AM 1 Comment

Nikko AM has decided to make its long-standing wholesale SRI Equity Fund available to retail and KiwiSaver investors.

The wholesale fund, which adds a specific layer of SRI exclusions to Nikko AM’s already ESG-integrated investment approach, was one of the first of its kind to be established in New Zealand.

Companies excluded from the fund through Nikko AM’s SRI filter today are those that derive over 10% of revenue from industries linked to adult entertainment, alcohol, controversial weapons / armaments, fossil fuels, gambling and tobacco.

The fund, which generally holds 30-35 Australasian listed companies, has consistently exceeded the benchmark of outperforming the S&P/NZX50 Gross Index, over the past two decades delivering an average annual gross return of 12.48%.

“We believe that the best screening comes through active management."

“Since launching GoalsGetter three years ago, we’ve been committed to bringing institutional-level expertise and choice to the rapidly growing retail investment market,” Nikko AM NZ managing director, George Carter says.

“We’ve been managing an SRI strategy since 2001, so opening up access to the SRI Fund for individual investors and KiwiSaver members is the latest step in this exciting journey.”

The fund is actively managed by a dedicated SRI fund manager, with support from the wider Nikko AM equities team and global industry thought leaders who help assess, interpret and adjust the exclusions criteria. This is an important point of difference in the fast-moving SRI space when it comes to creating both economic and social value, says Carter.

“We believe that the best screening comes through active management."

"As a global fund manager with a philosophy of embedding ESG and SRI considerations into all our investment decision-making, we have the benefit of real-time experience and understanding of global trends and legislative and social developments."

The SRI Equity Fund is the second socially-minded fund to be added to the now 20-strong Nikko AM retail fund portfolio in the last three months, following the launch of the uniquely philanthropic Freedom Fund last October.

Tags: George Carter Nikko AM SRI