Vontobel Fund - Global Environmental Change

Why select the Vontobel Fund – Global Environmental Change

The Global Environmental Change fund seeks to deliver long-term financial returns alongside a positive impact on environmental issues. Both deliverables are rated as equally important – and we refer to them as a “double dividend”.

At Vontobel, we drive change by investing through our impact fund in companies that address today’s most pressing global challenges. We believe that companies whose innovative products or services provide scalable solutions to these challenges, while their balance sheets and long-term earnings path prove strong, have the potential to outperform their peers and generate a measurable positive impact.

Our aim is to deliver an unconstrained high-conviction portfolio. This requires an investment process focused on disciplined bottom-up security selection based on in-depth company analyses that integrate financial, impact, and sustainability criteria.

The pillars of Global Environmental Change

Different impact funds seek to tackle different challenges – so, while the foundation of impact investing remains constant throughout, the opportunity to make a difference varies depending upon the fund selected. We explain this through the concept of our impact pillars, which correspond with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1 approved and adopted by United Nations (UN) member states in 2015.

Different funds incorporate different impact pillars. The Global Environmental Change fund addresses, through its investments, companies seeking to address the challenges represented by the following six impact pillars:

Clean energy infrastructure 

We can no longer ignore climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is underway but requires massive investments in the appropriate infrastructure and advanced technology.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDGs 7 and 13.

 

Clean water 

While demand for water is growing, our water supply is shrinking. Substantial investment is required along the entire value chain to enable universal access to safe and affordable drinking water.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDG 6.

 

Building technology 

More than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. To minimize their carbon footprint, we need solutions that improve urban planning and make cities smarter and better connected.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDG 11.

 

Low-emission transportation 

Our growing economy depends on a robust transportation infrastructure. Sustainable development in our world calls for a transportation system that keeps pollution low via green and resilient mobility solutions.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDGs 9 and 11.

 

Resource-efficient industry 

Resource efficiency is needed to deal with the growing consumption of energy and materials, with solutions that are resilient, use fewer natural resources, save energy, and reduce pollution.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDG 9.

 

Lifecycle management 

To offset the increasing environmental footprint of a growing economy, steering consumer behaviour toward companies offering sustainable product lifecycles is key.

This impact pillar contributes to the UN SDG 12.

 

What is the potential impact of the companies you invest in? Try our calculator:

"As an impact investor, you look for environmental benefits as well as financial performance – we can offer both."

Investment team

Pascal Dudle, Head of Listed Impact and portfolio manager of the Global Environmental Change fund, has more than 20 years of investment experience. He is supported by a team of investment experts able to conduct financial as well as sustainability analyses. Being active asset managers, we rely on our own in-house fundamental research.