MainFirst funds again certified to and awarded with independent ESG label
Editorial by Team Global Equities / Absolute Return Multi Asset
12.01.2023
For the third time now, Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen (FNG) has awarded a number of MainFirst mutual funds with the FNG Label, the quality standard for sustainable investment funds in German-speaking countries. Six investment funds meet the FNG standards in the areas of Institutional Credibility, Product Standards, Selection Strategy and Dialogue Strategies. MainFirst Absolute Return Multi Asset, MainFirst Germany Fund; MainFirst Global Equities Fund; MainFirst Global Equities Unconstrained Fund and MainFirst Top European Ideas Fund have been awarded two stars for their quality, and MainFirst Megatrends Asia one star.
Sustainability is one of MainFirst’s key concerns
“Overall, we are very happy with the result and are pleased to receive this validation of our work on sustainability. We will continue to work on our approach in the future both to meet the sustainability requirements and to be able to offer our clients sustainable investment options.”
Johannes Schweinebraden, Portfolio Manager
The FNG Label – the quality standard for sustainable financial investments
Sustainable investments are becoming increasingly more important, with the range of funds available skyrocketing. In the first three quarters of 2022, ESG funds saw inflows of USD 140 billion compared with outflows of USD 189 billion in the broad equity market (Morningstar). But investors are having trouble gaining an overview and identifying trustworthy investment products. Independent ESG labels give investors clarity and thus act as a compass when they are choosing sustainable investment solutions.
With more than 200 members, FNG (Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen) has been the professional association for sustainable investments since 2001 in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
The holistic methodology of the FNG Label is based on a minimum standard. This includes transparency criteria and the consideration of labour & human rights, environmental protection, and anti-corruption as summarised in the globally recognised UN Global Compact. All holdings in the respective fund must also be fully analysed for sustainability criteria. Investments in nuclear power, coal mining, large-scale coal-fired power generation, fracking, oil sands, and weapons & armaments are excluded.
The FNG Label goes far beyond a pure portfolio view and is therefore holistic and meaningful. Elements such as reporting, the fund company itself, an external sustainability committee and issues relating to good governance play an important role. The sustainability certification must be renewed annually.
The FNG Label
- Ensures holistic quality
- Ensures minimum standards
- Involves external, independent inspections
- Provides guidance in the search for credible sustainable investments
- Encourages the spread and development of solid, sustainable investment approaches
- Widens the channels of distribution for fund providers
The advantages of the FNG Label for investors
- Guarantees that the financial investment is sustainable
- Feel-good factor: no investment in excluded business segments and practices.
- Experience-based quality control of the financial investment, certified by an independent third party, and externally monitored in addition
- Objective external evaluation vs. information from the fund provider
- Comparability and lower information cost
The FNG Sustainability Profile
The FNG Sustainability Profile summarises the sustainability criteria used and further key fund data and serves as a guide when selecting sustainable mutual funds. The FNG Sustainability Profile is based on the FNG Matrix – a database for information all about sustainable mutual funds. Here is an overview of the FNG Sustainability Profiles of the MainFirst funds:
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