How we evaluate products
Responsible Investment strategies, processes, practices and disclosures are assessed against the eight criteria for product certification in the Responsible Investment Standard and accompanying Guidance and Assessment Notes.
What are the requirements?
In order to certify products as certified responsible investments, RIAA assesses them against its RI Certification Standard. The Certification Standard is underpinned by eight requirements that act as the guiding principles of the RI Certification Program. Since its inception the RI Certification Standard has evolved significantly, reflecting the dynamic evolution of responsible investment. These eight requirements are:
- RI strategies are formal, disclosed, consistent, auditable and fit for purpose
- Labels are clear, honest and not misleading
- Product avoids significant harm
- Discloses full holdings, performance, sustainability outcomes and engagement and voting practices
- Managed by active stewards, and managers can detail the stewardship practices and outcomes
- Organisation has formal commitment to responsible investment
- Organisation provides educational information to members and customers about RI strategies
What this symbol means


General certification: This Symbol signifies that a product or service offers an investment style that takes into account environmental, social, governance or ethical considerations, and that it adheres to the operational and disclosure practices required under the Responsible Investment Certification Program for the category of Product.


Sustainable classification: This Symbol signifies that a product or service has been certified and classified to offer an investment style that takes into account environmental, social, governance or ethical considerations, with prominent sustainability objectives aligned with portfolio holdings and stewardship practices, adhering to the operational and disclosure practices required under the Responsible Investment Certification Program for the category of Product.
The content on this webpage is provided by Responsible Investment Association Australasia Ltd (ACN 641 046 666, AFSL 554110). For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. Certain content provided may constitute a summary or extract from the offer document of a financial product. Any general advice has been provided without reference to your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. If the advice relates to the acquisition of a particular financial product for which an offer document (such as a product disclosure document) is available, you should obtain the offer document relating to the particular financial product and consider it before making any decision whether to acquire the product. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial products’ future performance. To obtain information tailored to your situation, contact a financial adviser.
Themes & Issues
Society
Education
Included
Green property
Included
Healthcare and medical products
Included
Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Included
Sustainable transport
Included
High scoring ESG companies
Included
Employment and vocational training
Included
More sustainable companies
Included
Animal cruelty
Mostly avoided
Armaments
Mostly avoided
Tobacco
Mostly avoided
Fossil fuels
Partially avoided
Gambling
Partially avoided
Nuclear power
Partially avoided
Pornography
Partially avoided
Alcohol
Partially avoided
Environment
Education
Included
Green property
Included
Healthcare and medical products
Included
Renewable energy and energy efficiency
Included
Sustainable transport
Included
High scoring ESG companies
Included
Employment and vocational training
Included
More sustainable companies
Included
Animal cruelty
Mostly avoided
Armaments
Mostly avoided
Tobacco
Mostly avoided
Fossil fuels
Partially avoided
Gambling
Partially avoided
Nuclear power
Partially avoided
Pornography
Partially avoided
Alcohol
Partially avoided
For RIAA’s definitions of the themes included and issues avoided, please view this guide . Product-specific exclusion criteria and practices may vary. You can find these by referring directly to the product provider.
Overview
The below has been taken directly from page 2 of the Additional Informatio Guide under 'How we invest your money':
Sustainable approach to investingAusbil’s sustainable approach to investing allows the Ausbil Active Sustainable Equity Fund to invest in companies that have a relatively good sustainability profile, as well as the removal of companies subject to long-term earnings sustainability risk, whilst actively engaging with companies on sustainability issues and the wider industry that they operate in. Please note that all references to ‘the Fund’ in this ‘Sustainable approach to investing’ section are to the Ausbil Active Sustainable Equity Fund.The Fund’s investments are regularly reviewed to determine whether they continue to form part of the Fund’s investible universe. If Ausbil becomes aware that the Fund is invested in a company that no longer forms part of the Fund’s investible universe, the investment will be sold in a reasonable period of time.Earnings sustainability risk refinementIn constructing a portfolio of companies that have relatively good sustainable profiles, Ausbil refines the universe of companies that the Fund can invest in by removing companies subject to longterm earnings sustainability risk (including companies with material exposure to ‘controversial activities’ & companies not meeting minimum hurdles in relation to labour standards, environmental, social and ethical considerations ie, ESG) and ranks companies based on research conducted by Ausbil’s equity analysts and Ausbil’s dedicated ESG team.Ausbil’s dedicated ESG team researches on a proprietary basis, assesses and scores a company based on the industry in which a company operates in (ie what a company does) and a company’s ESG factors (ie how a company manages these factors). The combination being a sustainability score, which indicates a company’s sustainability profile.The universe is refined to remove companies subject to long-term earnings sustainability risk including companies with material direct exposure or a significant indirect exposure to:• the production or distribution of alcohol, gambling, pornography;• the distribution of tobacco;• the production or distribution of weapons & armaments;• the mining of uranium; and• the exploration, mining and/or distribution of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, oil sands and coal.Material direct exposure is defined as 10% or more of earnings from one or a combination of the above controversial activities.Furthermore, the universe is refined to remove companies with a direct exposure (0% of earnings) to:• the production of tobacco and tobacco-based products;and• the production of controversial weapon & armaments.In addition, companies that do not meet minimum score(s) from Ausbil’s ESG team, are also filtered and removed from the investable universe.A company’s sustainability score is subsequently combined equally with the equity analyst’s conviction score to allow Ausbil to rank each company in the remaining investible universe. At least half of the Fund’s portfolio must be constructed from the top third ranked companies.Active engagementAusbil believes that engagement with companies contributes to better informed investment decisions, can reduce the risk of capital destruction and can potentially expand the companies that the Fund may invest in.Ausbil actively engages with companies on sustainability issues and has an active voting policy for the Fund. The active engagement takes the form of a direct and individual dialogue between Ausbil and companies (eg the board, management, sustainable/ESG department etc) and stakeholders (eg industry bodies) through meetings, company visits, written exchanges etc. The aim is to raise the awareness of companies and to receive additional information from companies on specific topics, to encourage them to adopt industry best practice and adopt transparency on ESG issues.In addition to company and industry engagement, Ausbil actively engages at an environmental, social and/or governance policy level, for example submissions to Australian Government or industry body led policy discussions/enquiries.Ausbil also actively participates in relevant collaborative engagements with other investors, eg the Principles for Responsible Investment.
Description
The below has been taken directly from page 2 of the Additional Information Guide under 'How we invest your money': Sustainable approach to investing Ausbil’s sustainable approach to investing allows the Ausbil Active Sustainable Equity Fund to invest in companies that have a relatively good sustainability profile, as well as the removal of companies subject to long-term earnings sustainability risk, whilst actively engaging with companies on sustainability issues and the wider industry that they operate in. Please note that all references to ‘the Fund’ in this ‘Sustainable approach to investing’ section are to the Ausbil Active Sustainable Equity Fund. The Fund’s investments are regularly reviewed to determine whether they continue to form part of the Fund’s investible universe. If Ausbil becomes aware that the Fund is invested in a company that no longer forms part of the Fund’s investible universe, the investment will be sold in a reasonable period of time. Earnings sustainability risk refinement In constructing a portfolio of companies that have relatively good sustainable profiles, Ausbil refines the universe of companies that the Fund can invest in by removing companies subject to longterm earnings sustainability risk (including companies with material exposure to ‘controversial activities’ & companies not meeting minimum hurdles in relation to labour standards, environmental, social and ethical considerations ie, ESG) and ranks companies based on research conducted by Ausbil’s equity analysts and Ausbil’s dedicated ESG team. Ausbil’s dedicated ESG team researches on a proprietary basis, assesses and scores a company based on the industry in which a company operates in (ie what a company does) and a company’s ESG factors (ie how a company manages these factors). The combination being a sustainability score, which indicates a company’s sustainability profile. The universe is refined to remove companies subject to long-term earnings sustainability risk including companies with material direct exposure or a significant indirect exposure to: • the production or distribution of alcohol, gambling, pornography; • the distribution of tobacco; • the production or distribution of weapons & armaments; • the mining of uranium; and • the exploration, mining and/or distribution of fossil fuels, such as oil, gas, oil sands and coal. Material direct exposure is defined as 10% or more of earnings from one or a combination of the above controversial activities. Furthermore, the universe is refined to remove companies with a direct exposure (0% of earnings) to: • the production of tobacco and tobacco-based products; and • the production of controversial weapon & armaments. In addition, companies that do not meet minimum score(s) from Ausbil’s ESG team, are also filtered and removed from the investable universe. A company’s sustainability score is subsequently combined equally with the equity analyst’s conviction score to allow Ausbil to rank each company in the remaining investible universe. At least half of the Fund’s portfolio must be constructed from the top third ranked companies. Active engagement Ausbil believes that engagement with companies contributes to better informed investment decisions, can reduce the risk of capital destruction and can potentially expand the companies that the Fund may invest in. Ausbil actively engages with companies on sustainability issues and has an active voting policy for the Fund. The active engagement takes the form of a direct and individual dialogue between Ausbil and companies (eg the board, management, sustainable/ESG department etc) and stakeholders (eg industry bodies) through meetings, company visits, written exchanges etc. The aim is to raise the awareness of companies and to receive additional information from companies on specific topics, to encourage them to adopt industry best practice and adopt transparency on ESG issues. In addition to company and industry engagement, Ausbil actively engages at an environmental, social and/or governance policy level, for example submissions to Australian Government or industry body led policy discussions/enquiries. Ausbil also actively participates in relevant collaborative engagements with other investors, eg the Principles for Responsible Investment.
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Themes & Issues
8
themes included
0
issues fully avoided
3
issues mostly avoided
5
issues partially avoided
Product Targets
Wholesale
Retail
Institutional
Certified Since
2020
Last date certified
July 14, 2023
Primary RI Strategy
Negative Screening
Secondary RI Strategy
Best in class screening