Research conducted by Perpetual shows around a quarter of Australians are actively looking to invest in companies that are beneficial to the environment and society.
Perpetual was an early proponent of ESG investing, launching our first Ethical SRI fund in 2002. In November 2021, we made this fund more accessible for investors by launching an active ETF class under the ASX Code: GIVE. The Ethical SRI Fund invests predominantly in quality shares of Australian ethical and socially responsible companies and aims to align to the ESG values of our clients that seek long-term returns. A portion of the performance fees earned on GIVE will be donated to charity.
Building on this heritage, and the capabilities we have gained through the acquisitions of Trillium and Barrow Hanley, we are seeking to create new products that support the growing client demand for ESG-aligned investment strategies.
We launched three ESG-focused funds in Europe, and had one more authorised, which were classified as Article 8 funds under SFDR regulations. Article 8 funds are defined as those that promote environmental or social characteristics, or a combination of both, and invest in companies that follow good governance practices. Together, these had secured $700 million in client funds by the end of June 2022.