22 March 2023
CCLA today announces that its Better World Global Equity Fund and approach to sustainability have been fully assessed and validated by Defaqto, an independent research firm that collects data on UK financial services propositions.
Financial advisers using Defaqto research will now be able to compare CCLA’s fund against other propositions, similarly assessed by Defaqto. They will also benefit from the ongoing monitoring of CCLA’s fund and ESG proposition to give them the assurance that CCLA’s ESG processes continue to deliver on the fund objective.
The ESG report compiled by Defaqto highlights CCLA’s firm-wide approach to engagement around three core themes of addressing climate change, promoting public health and addressing poor labour standards and highlights CCLA’s focus on integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. Defaqto recognises that CCLA has a considerably sized sustainability team led by ESG heavyweight, Dr James Corah, and that CCLA has an impressive track record in effecting change through engagement with measurable and quantifiable progress.
Paul Tinkler, Defaqto Head of Insight & Consultancy (Investments & Protection), said:
The transparency of an investment mandate, manager processes and policies are particularly important in ESG as the market has yet to standardise key metrics and their measurement. Combined with a degree of subjectivity in terms of investor preferences this makes Defaqto’s ESG Reviews a valuable resource for advisers. We are delighted that CCLA have had their Better World Global Equity Fund assessed by our consultants.
Mr Jasper Berens, Head of Client Relationships and Distribution at CCLA, said:
We are incredibly pleased with Defaqto’s very positive assessments of both the Better World Global Equity Fund and our approach to sustainability and these assessments underscore our commitment to the UK intermediary market. Our heritage of investing sustainably for over half a century means that an ESG approach is at the heart of our investment process and this is evidenced by our work over a great many years to prevent modern slavery, improve the health of companies’ workforces and address climate change.
Defaqto supplies independent ratings and assessments for market wide funds within the intermediated investment field. Defaqto ESG Reviews consider the various ESG aspects of individual funds, including their ESG policy, levels of ESG integration, the manager’s voting and engagement activities, and detail the team and wider ESG resources behind it.
The CCLA Better World Global Equity Fund is managed in accordance with CCLA’s Good Investment philosophy to invest for a better world. CCLA engages investee companies to push for greater sustainability in the real-world economy whilst also assessing companies on their environmental, social and governance criteria to ensure they are robust businesses positioned for the long term while at the same time investing in a way that CCLA believes is aligned with its clients’ values.
Press contact
Miranda Barham: miranda@mirandabarham.com or 07899 030 304