The National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) has expanded its Ethical Fund offering with the addition of ethically-screened corporate bonds provided by F&C Investments.
NEST said the additional “building block” would provide “greater diversification” and “more sophisticated risk management” while retaining the ethical screens and best practice that its Ethical Fund aims to uphold.
The F&C Ethical Bond fund invests primarily in investment grade corporate bonds of ethically-screened companies.
NEST chief investment officer Mark Fawcett said: “We are pleased to be able to carry the sophistication of our approach to default investing to NEST’s other fund choices. The addition of ethically screened corporate bonds to NEST’s Ethical Fund shows our commitment to delivering a high quality investment experience across our fund range, whilst keeping charges consistently low.
“Corporate debt is an important asset class for long-term savers. F&C Investments’ fixed income team have a sound investment philosophy and approach that we expect will deliver strong and consistent performance, coupled with best in class governance around the formation and execution of ethical investment policies.”
F&C Investments head of governance and sustainable investment Vicki Bakhshi said: “F&C is pleased to have been appointed by NEST to provide a further ethical solution to investors, as they continue to put their investments under great scrutiny.”
NEST’s Ethical Fund also includes the F&C Stewardship International fund; Legal & General Investment Management’s Managed Property fund and State Street’s Index Linked Gilts fund.
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