A LOCAL investment management firm has launched a sustainable growth fund in a move which it says demonstrates its ‘commitment to helping to build a world-class sustainable finance ecosystem in Jersey’.
The Affinity Sustainable Growth Fund is an Irish-domiciled UCITS solution, categorised as an Article 8 fund in accordance with the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.
The asset, launched by Affinity Private Wealth, will be managed locally by APW Investors Ltd, the firm’s licensed investment business.
Ben Stott, Affinity’s managing director, said: ‘Given the success of our sustainable growth strategy, we wanted to provide broader access to the expertise we have built.
‘Facilitating this through regular savings, such as pension contributions, was an important objective for us too. The launch of our UCITS fund means individuals with smaller sums to invest can choose to direct capital for positive change.
‘We hope employers across the Island will also be encouraged to offer sustainable pension choices to their staff.’
The fund is available in retail and institutional share classes across several currencies, including sterling, euros, US and Singapore dollars. With a minimum investment of £100, the fund is accessible through independent financial advisers, across multiple platforms or directly at geminicapital.ie.
All fee revenue generated from the fund will be shared with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Affinity’s head of sustainability, Russell Waite, said: ‘We have built a reputation as thought leaders and innovators in this space and believe in sharing best practices to support both our clients and our peers on their sustainability journey.
‘Winning The Leadership in Sustainable Finance – Investment Management Award at the Jersey Finance Sustainable Finance Awards 2022 is a clear endorsement of this. We believe launching this fund further demonstrates our commitment to this space and the role we are playing in helping to build a world-class sustainable finance ecosystem in Jersey.’
Julia Warrander, group director and chair of APWIL’s investment committee, added: ‘We see our role as mobilising capital towards helping achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals as well as educating ourselves, clients and other stakeholders about how capital markets can be a force for good.
‘In 2016, we recognised the powerful societal and regulatory momentum building in support of sustainable finance and developed an investment process around clean energy, education, future mobility, health and wellbeing, reduced inequality, resource efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and natural capital.
‘Our insights convinced us that allocating to these themes could generate attractive investment returns, as well as make a positive impact, and this has proved to be the case.’
