We believe that to have a genuinely positive impact and deliver sustainable performance, a company must focus on “what” it offers as well as “how” it operates. That’s why our investment approach involves deep assessment of a company’s impact along with its ESG practices. This is a key differentiator from traditional ESG investing, where ESG screens are often high level and applied without a deep understanding of the company. Companies must also get past our rigorous financial assessment and portfolio construction principles to be considered for investment.
Gender and Climate Frameworks
An additional overlay is applied to large companies that have the potential to create significant impact in gender equality (SDG5) through the size of their workforce or, in climate action (SDG13), as a large emitter of greenhouse gases.
For these companies the following frameworks are applied as part of the first stage of our investment process, our Impact Assessment.
Gender Lens Investing Framework (GLIF)
Our GLIF seeks to identify large companies demonstrating gender equality leadership, contributing to SDG5.5 ‘ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership’. The framework assesses factors such as women in leadership, gender pay gaps and targets. We believe gender-diverse companies will also achieve superior competitive long-term financial returns.
Find out more on our approach to Gender Lens Investing in our latest research paper.
Climate Action Transition Framework (CATF)
Our CATF seeks to identify high-emitting companies that exhibit leadership qualities on Climate Action SDG13.3 regarding improving ‘institutional capacity on climate change mitigation’.
The framework assesses a range of factors including companies establishing and providing evidence of the progress they are making against credible emissions reduction targets. For more information on our approach to climate action leadership, contact us for our latest research paper.
Investment Focus Areas
We have identified seven Investment Focus Areas that are aligned to our Australian and NZ equities universe. We believe companies that contribute to these Investment Focus Areas also benefit from either structural growth tailwinds or the defensive characteristics of essential services.
Circular economy
Natural capital
Sustainable communities
Decarbonisation
Equality and education
Economic participation
Health and wellbeing
Our approach to exclusions
We look to avoid investing in companies that have a material exposure to industries identified as detracting from the SDGs. Our fund therefore seeks to exclude companies which source 5% or more of their gross revenue from the manufacturing, production or selling of, or provision of financial services to the following industries*:
– Alcohol
– Armaments
– Gambling Operations
– Pornography
– Tobacco
– Fast food, soft drinks and confectionery
– Predatory lending
– Uranium and nuclear energy
– Thermal coal, tar sands, oil, conventional and unconventional gas**
*Assessed separately
** We recognise that high emitting companies that have a small exposure to excluded fossil fuels have the potential to have a net positive impact on SDG13 Climate Action if they demonstrate climate action leadership. Companies which emit greater than 1 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (or equivalent per annum) and satisfy Melior’s Climate Action Transition Framework based on factors such as credible net zero emissions targets, evidence of progress towards these targets and a transition plan may have up to 10% of their gross revenue derived from excluded fossil fuel industries.
The Melior Australian Impact Fund
The Melior Australian Impact Fund is a registered managed investment scheme. The Fund’s investment strategy is to seek to invest in Australian and New Zealand companies delivering competitive market returns and positive social and/or environmental impacts that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Performance
*Source: Fund Inception: 1 July 2019. The Fund has a long-term outperformance horizon of seven years. Total returns shown for the Melior Australian Impact Fund have been calculated using exit prices after taking into account all ongoing fees and assuming reinvestment of distributions. No allowance has been made for taxation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.
Fund Facts
How to invest with melior
Wholesale Investors can invest via our online application form below. The minimum investment amount is $50,000.
You can also invest indirectly in our Fund through one of the platforms below. Retail investors can also invest via one of the investment platforms. Different minimum investment amounts apply.
Existing investors who would like to add to their investment can do so online by logging onto their account here
PLATFORM AVAILABILITY
AMP North
eXpand (Insignia)
Hub24
IOOF Employer Super
Macquarie Wrap
MLC Wrap
Netwealth
Rhythm (Insignia)
Praemium
Important information
Investing involves risk. Returns are not guaranteed and investors could lose money. Listed equities markets can experience volatility, particularly in the short term. Investments in listed equities markets are therefore generally classified as higher risk than other asset classes such as fixed income and cash (which tend to have both lower risks and lower long-term returns). As the Fund invests most of its assets in Australian listed equities, it should be considered a high-risk investment. Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement for details of the types of risks which are associated with investing in the Fund. The Fund is likely to be appropriate for an investor who has a seven year investment timeframe, a high risk/return profile and wishes to have access to capital on short notice. Please refer to the Target Market Determination for further information and consider your own objectives, financial situation and needs before making any investment decision.
The information on this page relating to Melior Australian Impact Fund (ARSN 634 081 744) (Fund) is issued by the Trust Company (RE Services) Limited (ABN 45 003 278 831, AFSL No 235150) as responsible entity of, and issuer of units in, the Fund.
Melior Australian Impact Fund (ARSN 634 081 744)
PDS Update – 1 November 2023
The Trust Company (RE Services) Ltd, ABN 45 003 278 831 AFSL 235150 (Responsible Entity) is the Responsible Entity for the Melior Australian Impact Fund ARSN 634 081 744 (Fund). Melior Investment Management Pty Ltd, ABN 16 629 013 896 (Manager) acts as the Investment Manager for the Fund. This notice is issued to update information in the product disclosure statement and to inform you that effective from 1 November 2023: The board composition of the Responsible Entity will consist of a majority of external directors. As a result, the Responsible Entity will not be required to have a separate Compliance Committee; and The Compliance Committee is dissolved.
All references in the Fund’s current Product Disclosure Statement (including any statements incorporated by reference) (PDS) to the Responsible Entity’s Compliance Committee are removed from the PDS. This notice should be read in conjunction with the PDS which is available on the Manager’s website. A copy of this notice and the PDS is available free of charge, upon request.