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SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index in November Registers Best Monthly Gain in 2017 and Exceeds S&P 500 Index

Summary The Sustainable Large Cap Equity Fund Index (SUSTAIN Index) registered a strong gain of 3.20% in November versus the S&P 500 Index which generated a 3.07% total return. The SUSTAIN Index, up 18.34% year-to-date, continues to trail the S&P 500 Index that recorded a gain of 20.49% since December 31, 2016. SUSTAIN Large Cap… Continue reading about SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index in November Registers Best Monthly Gain in 2017 and Exceeds S&P 500 Index

SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index Gains 1.7% in October but Lags the S&P 500

SUSTAIN Index Gains but Only One Constituent FundBeat theS&P 500 in October The SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index, which tracks the total return performance of the ten largest actively managed large cap US oriented equity mutual funds that employ a sustainable investing strategy beyond absolute reliance on exclusionary practices, registered a gain of 1.7%… Continue reading about SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index Gains 1.7% in October but Lags the S&P 500

SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index Up 2.1% in September and Narrowly Beats Out S&P 500 Index

SUSTAIN Index Reverses Two Month Lag The SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index, which tracks the total return performance of the ten largest actively managed large cap U.S. oriented equity mutual funds that employ a sustainable investing strategy beyond absolute reliance on exclusionary practices, registered a gain of 2.1% in September and outperformed the S&P… Continue reading about SUSTAIN Large Cap Equity Fund Index Up 2.1% in September and Narrowly Beats Out S&P 500 Index

Research Note: ETFs Exposure to Vulnerabilities During Periods of Market Stress

Exchange-Traded Fund Investors Legal Action Rebuffed This week on September 25, 2017 the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that exchange-traded fund (ETF) investors were rebuffed in their legal action against BlackRock Inc. for omitting certain warnings in fund documents about what could go wrong with ETFs. The complaint against BlackRock was initiated by a group… Continue reading about Research Note: ETFs Exposure to Vulnerabilities During Periods of Market Stress

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments