Westpac joins the run to ethical investing
Westpac has risen again to the demand for ethical investing with the launch of the Westpac International Sustainability Share Fund (WISSF).
The WISSF is a wholesale fund that acts as a gateway to international shares provided in a list by the Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index (DJSGI). The launch of the international fund follows launches of domestic ethical funds last year.
The DJSGI selects from the top 10 per cent of companies worldwide which have incorporated sustainability into their long-term business plans. Sustainability is the consideration of environmental, social and economic long-term impacts of its business activities in its business plans.
Westpac Financial Services joint managing director Shaun Mays says research has shown that investors increasingly make decisions based on environmental and social grounds as part of their search for performing investments.
"This fund allows investments in international shares that have a proven sustainability tilt to their business behaviour and processes," he says.
The launch of WISSF follows other Westpac forays into the ethical investment market such as the Australian Eco Share Fund and the Westpac-Monash Eco index.
Recommended for you
Compared to four years ago when the divide between boutique and large licensees were largely equal, adviser movements have seen this trend shift in light of new licensees commencing.
As ongoing market uncertainty sees advisers look beyond traditional equity exposure, Fidante has found adviser interest in small caps and emerging markets for portfolio returns has almost doubled since April.
CoreData has shared the top areas of demand for cryptocurrency advice but finds investors are seeking advisers who actively invest in the asset themselves.
With regulators ‘raising the bar’ on retirement planning, Lonsec Research and Ratings has urged advisers to place greater focus on sequencing and longevity risk as they navigate clients through the shifting landscape.
