Original, independent, thought leadership
Register
Search Linkedin Reddit-alien
Search Linkedin Reddit-alien
Search Linkedin Reddit-alien

AGF Funds

« Back to Glossary Index

Funds Group: AGF Funds
Management Company: AGF Investments America Inc. (AGFA)
Funds Affected: AGF Global Sustainable Growth Equity Fund
Principal Sustainable Investment Strategy: Thematic Investing, Exclusions
Summary:
The fund invests in securities of companies that AGFA believes are positively exposed to sustainable investment themes.  AGFA has identified a number of sustainable investment themes that are consistent with the environmental concept of sustainable development, which, as defined in a 1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, is economic development that meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Examples of these sustainable investment themes may include Energy and Power Technologies, Waste Management and Pollution Control, Water and Waste Water Solutions and Environmental Health and Safety. The sustainable investment themes are not necessarily limited to the examples provided above and may change over time based on AGFA’s research. The fund does not generally expect to invest in companies that are fossil fuel producers. Additionally, the fund can be expected to emphasize investments in sectors such as Industrials that tend to include companies that are positively exposed to sustainable investment themes and may have a reduced weighting to other sectors such as Financials that are traditionally less exposed to sustainable investment themes. Within this framework, AGFA looks for companies that possess proven management, proprietary and strategic advantages and financial strength.

« Back to Funds Directory

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments