Sustainable Sterling Bond

Strategy highlights

: Environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis looks beyond the financial statements

Investing in securities issued or guaranteed by the UK government, and bonds of companies that positively manage the material impacts of their operations and products on the environment and society

Avoidance of bonds with material ESG risks which are likely to negatively affect future performance

Our philosophy and process

: Our sustainable ‘red lines’ are built on a combination of exclusions that effectively avoid investments in security issuers involved in or that generate a material proportion of revenues from areas of activity that we deem to be harmful from a social and/or environmental perspective.

We seek to engage with companies where ESG issues are resolvable and can be improved, and report on that activity.

Every time we consider a security or look at an industry or country, it’s in the context of what’s happening across the world. We believe the investment landscape is shaped over the long term by some key trends, and we use themes to help identify opportunities.

Investment team

This strategy is managed by a focused, experienced fixed-income team. In-house research analysts are at the core of our investment process, and our multidimensional research platform spans fundamental, thematic, ESG, quantitative, geopolitical, investigative and private-market research to promote better-informed investment decisions.

25: years’ average investment experience
18: years’ average time at Newton

Paul Brain

Investment leader, fixed income
Parmeshwar Chadha

Portfolio manager, fixed income
Howard Cunningham

Portfolio manager, fixed income
Jon Day

Portfolio manager, fixed income
Carl Shepherd

Portfolio manager, fixed income
Trevor Holder

Portfolio manager, fixed income
Scott Freedman

Analyst and portfolio manager, fixed income

Strategy profile

Objective: To achieve capital growth and income by investing predominantly in fixed-interest securities that are denominated in sterling or hedged back to sterling. It invests in securities issued or guaranteed by the UK government, and sterling-denominated fixed-interest securities of companies that both have durable financial and competitive positions and manage positively the material impacts of their operations and products on the environment and society.
Strategy inception: Composite inception: 1 June 2018
Strategy available through pooled UK vehicle: BNY Mellon Sustainable Sterling Bond Fund

View Key Investor Information Document
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Responsible investment report

Stewardship activities (voting and engagement) for the last quarter and ESG metrics.

Download Report

Your capital may be at risk. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and investors may not get back the original amount invested.

Newton will make investment decisions that are not based solely on ESG considerations. Other attributes of an investment may outweigh ESG considerations when making investment decisions. The way that ESG and sustainability considerations are assessed and the assessment of their suitability for Newton’s sustainable strategies may vary depending on the asset class and strategy involved. For Newton’s sustainable strategies, ESG reviews are performed prior to investment for corporate investments (single name equity and fixed income securities). The analysis will then also follow the Newton sustainable investment process to ensure it fits with the wider Newton sustainable investment philosophy.

Key investment risks

: Objective/performance risk: There is no guarantee that the strategy will achieve its objectives.

Currency risk: This strategy invests in international markets which means it is exposed to changes in currency rates which could affect the value of the portfolio.

Geographic concentration risk: The strategy primarily invests in a single market which may have a significant impact on the value of the strategy.

Derivatives risk: Derivatives are highly sensitive to changes in the value of the asset from which their value is derived. A small movement in the value of the underlying asset can cause a large movement in the value of the derivative. This can increase the sizes of losses and gains, causing the value of your investment to fluctuate. When using derivatives, the strategy can lose significantly more than the amount it has invested in derivatives.

Changes in interest rates & inflation risk: Investments in bonds/money market securities are affected by interest rates and inflation trends which may negatively affect the value of the strategy.

Credit ratings and unrated securities risk: Bonds with a low credit rating or unrated bonds have a greater risk of default. These investments may negatively affect the value of the strategy.

Credit risk: The issuer of a security held by the strategy may not pay income or repay capital to the strategy when due.

Sustainable strategies risk: The strategy follows a sustainable investment approach, which may cause it to perform differently than strategies that have a similar objective but which do not integrate sustainable investment criteria when selecting securities. The strategy will not engage in stock lending activities and, therefore, may forego any additional returns that may be produced through such activities.

CoCos risk: Contingent Convertible Securities (CoCos) convert from debt to equity when the issuer’s capital drops below a pre-defined level. This may result in the security converting into equities at a discounted share price, the value of the security being written down, temporarily or permanently, and/or coupon payments ceasing or being deferred.

Counterparty risk: The insolvency of any institutions providing services such as custody of assets or acting as a counterparty to derivatives or other contractual arrangements, may expose the strategy to financial loss.