Robeco Sustainable Emerging Stars Equities IL GBP

In June, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index rose 3.3% in euro terms, lagging the 4.6% rise for developed markets. Best emerging countries were commodity exporting countries Colombia, Brazil, Russia and Saudi Arabia, supported by a further rise in oil prices. Worst-performing country was Peru, where left-wing candidate Castillo is the likely winner of the 6 June presidential elections, although the final outcome still has not been officially declared. South Africa and Indonesia were also among the worst-performing countries. Here, as well as in a few other emerging countries, the more contagious Delta variant is leading to a resurgence of the coronavirus. Finally, interest rates are starting to move up again in emerging markets, with central banks hiking rates in Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Hungary and Czechia.

The fund is allowed to pursue an active currency policy to generate extra returns and can engage in currency hedging transactions.

In principle the fund does not intend to distribute dividend and so both the income earned by the fund and its overall performance are reflected in its share price.

Robeco Sustainable Emerging Stars Equities integrates ESG at every stage of the investment process. We use sustainability performance rankings as a first indication of a company’s sustainability profile. In addition we use it to exclude the worst 20% scoring stocks from the investable universe. We then analyze the impact of financially material ESG factors to a company’s competitive position and value drivers. We believe that this enhances our ability to understand existing and potential risks and opportunities of a company. If ESG risks and opportunities are significant, the ESG analysis may impact a stock’s fair value and the portfolio allocation decision. Throughout the investment process, we strive for a low environmental impact, as measured by GHG emissions, water use and waste generation, with the aim of realizing at least 20% better levels than the index. In addition to ESG integration, Robeco’s dedicated active ownership team conducts proxy voting and engagement activities focused on specific themes, such as climate change, aiming to improve a company’s sustainability profile. Furthermore, the fund will not invest in companies exposed to the following controversial sectors or business practices: military contracting, controversial weapons, fire arms, UN Global Compact breaches, tobacco, palm oil, nuclear power, thermal coal, arctic drilling and oil sands, according to strict revenue thresholds.

Robeco Sustainable Emerging Stars Equities is an actively managed fund that invests in equities in emerging countries across the world. The selection of these stocks is based on fundamental analysis. The fund's objective is to achieve a better return than the index. The fund aims for a better sustainability profile compared to the Benchmark by promoting certain ESG (i.e. Environmental, Social and corporate Governance) characteristics within the meaning of Article 8 of the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and integrating ESG and sustainability risks in the investment process. In addition, the fund applies an exclusion list on the basis of controversial behavior, products (including controversial weapons, tobacco, palm oil and fossil fuel) and countries, while avoiding investment in thermal coal, weapons, military contracting and companies that severely violate labor conditions, next to proxy voting and engagement. The fund also aims for an improved environmental footprint compared to the Benchmark.The fund has a concentrated portfolio and selects investments based on a combination of top-down country analysis and bottom-up stock ideas. The focus is on companies with a sound business model, solid growth prospects and reasonable valuation. The fund aims at selecting stocks with relatively low environmental footprints compared to stocks with high environmental footprints. The majority of stocks selected will be components of the Benchmark, but stocks outside the Benchmark may be selected too. The fund can deviate substantially from the weightings of the Benchmark. The fund aims to outperform the Benchmark over the long run, whilst still controlling relative risk through the applications of limits (on VaR Ratio) to the extent of deviation from the Benchmark. This will consequently limit the deviation of the performance relative to the Benchmark. The Benchmark is a broad market weighted index that is not consistent with the ESG characteristics promoted by the fund.

Risk management is fully integrated into the investment process to ensure that positions always meet predefined guidelines.