The impact fund will be a concentrated, high-conviction global equity portfolio of 25 to 50 securities, typically held over five to 10 years. Hermes’ main objective is to increase prosperity in society through sustainable investing, particularly in companies linked to at least one UN Sustainable Development Goal.
The Hermes Impact Opportunities Strategy will be managed by Tim Crockford and supported by a team of four.
Crockford, who has 11 years’ experience and manages the Hermes Europe ex UK Strategy, said: “We aim to generate value for our clients because the companies in which we invest are making a positive and sustainable impact on society and the environment in which they operate.
“Our unconstrained and benchmark agnostic approach will allow the team to scour the global investment universe for innovative, purposeful companies, that have a positive impact on the lives of all of their stakeholders.”
Andrew Parry, head of sustainable investing at Hermes, added: “The scale of public equity markets means that listed companies can meaningfully influence society and the environment as powerful agents of change.
“We have seen this first-hand at Hermes over our decades of investing responsibly and driving long-term portfolio returns from purposeful companies with innovative solutions to meet society’s needs.
“Hermes Impact Opportunities is a natural extension of our longstanding commitment to active ownership and responsible investing.”
The firm said the fund will launch in January 2018, subject to regulatory approval.
