EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and its impact on asset managers

  • European Union Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation came into force on March, 10
  • Goal: more transparency for sustainability risks in financial investment products
  • Austrian Erste Asset Management has implemented EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation

The European Union sustainable finance disclosure regulation (SFDR) came into force on March 10, 2021. From this point on, all financial products, including investment funds, must be classified according to their sustainability. This is intended to create more transparency for sustainable investments in financial investment products.

The disclosure regulation of the European Union establishes new transparency rules on the effects of sustainability risks in financial investment products and adverse effects. Austrian Erste Asset Management (Erste AM) has adapted all relevant documents to the new transparency requirements.

Sustainability risks in investment decisions

In order to meet the transparency requirements, Erste AM has adapted all relevant documents and published them on its website (for UCITS funds in the prospectuses, for AIF funds in the §21 document). The description of how sustainability risks are included in investment decisions, including an assessment of how they affect the respective product, is set out for all funds in the prospectus/§21 document.

In addition, further adjustments are made in the product-specific documents for sustainable funds in accordance with Articles 8 and 9 of the Disclosure Regulation (ESG annex in the prospectus, ESG information on the web factsheet, accountability reports with ESG reporting from 2022).

ERSTE AM funds and classification according to the Disclosure Regulation

Impact funds such as the ERSTE GREEN INVEST, invest directly in solutions for ecological and social challenges and are classified according to Article 9 of the EU Disclosure Regulation. The proven "ERSTE RESPONSIBLE" funds are recorded as Article 8 products in this scheme: They continue to meet the highest demands on sustainable investments and, in addition to the existing ESG reporting, will also meet the requirements of the Disclosure Ordinance.

For some time now, Erste AM has been consistently pursuing the path to make its product range even more sustainable. At the beginning of 2020, ESG criteria, which can improve the risk-adjusted return, were started to be integrated into funds that were previously managed in a traditional manner. The processes used can, for example, significantly reduce CO2 intensity, better map the quality of corporate management (governance) in the funds and minimize involvement in violations of international standards. We now also classify these funds as Article 8 products (ESG integration). For all other funds, we are continuously evaluating the possibilities of including even more ecological and social factors in the investment process.

More on sustainability at Erste Am: https://www.erste-am.at/en/private-investors/sustainability

More on the SFDR: https://www.erste-am.at/en/private-investors/sustainability/eu-sustainability-disclosure

About us:

Erste Asset Management manages assets worth EUR 82.88bn (August 2024). About 100 investment professionals across numerous countries work in the Investment department of Erste Asset Management. In order to ensure an optimised management process, the Erste Asset Management fund managers cooperate closely with our in-house Research department.

Erste Asset Management was awarded the title of Best Investment Company of the Year by Austrian trade magazine “Börsianer” in 2019.

For enquiries, please contact:
Communications & Digital Marketing

Paul Severin
Tel. +43 (0)50 100 19982
E-Mail: paul.severin@erste-am.com

Dieter Kerschbaum
Tel. +43 (0)50 100 19858
E-Mail: dieter.kerschbaum@erste-am.com

Philipp Marchhart
Tel. +43 (0)50 100 19854
E-Mail: philipp.marchhart@erste-am.com

Erste Asset Management GmbH

Am Belvedere 1, A-1100 Wien
www.erste-am.com
Sitz Wien, FN 102018b,
Handelsgericht Wien, DVR 0468703

Disclaimer

This document is an advertisement. Please refer to the prospectus of the UCITS or to the Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG of the alternative investment fund and the Key Information Document before making any final investment decisions. All data is sourced from Erste Asset Management GmbH, unless indicated otherwise. Our languages of communication are German and English.

The prospectus for UCITS (including any amendments) is published in accordance with the provisions of the InvFG 2011 in the currently amended version. Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG is prepared for the alternative investment funds (AIF) administered by Erste Asset Management GmbH pursuant to the provisions of the AIFMG in connection with the InvFG 2011.

The fund prospectus, Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG, and the Key Information Document can be viewed in their latest versions at the  website www.erste-am.com within the section mandatory publications  or obtained in their latest versions free of charge from the domicile of the management company and the domicile of the custodian bank. The exact date of the most recent publication of the fund prospectus, the languages in which the Key Information Document is available, and any additional locations where the documents can be obtained can be viewed on the website www.erste-am.com. A summary of investor rights is available in German and English on the website www.erste-am.com/investor-rights as well as at the domicile of the management company.

The management company can decide to revoke the arrangements it has made for the distribution of unit certificates abroad, taking into account the regulatory requirements.

Detailed information on the risks potentially associated with the investment can be found in the fund prospectus or Information for investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG of the respective fund. If the fund currency is a currency other than the investor's home currency, changes in the corresponding exchange rate may have a positive or negative impact on the value of his investment and the amount of the costs incurred in the fund - converted into his home currency.

Our analyses and conclusions are general in nature and do not take into account the individual needs of our investors in terms of earnings, taxation, and risk appetite. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of the future performance of a fund. Please note that investments in securities entail risks in addition to the opportunities presented here. The value of shares and their earnings can rise and fall. Changes in exchange rates can also have a positive or negative effect on the value of an investment. For this reason, you may receive less than your originally invested amount when you redeem your shares. Persons who are interested in purchasing shares in investment funds are advised to read the current fund prospectus(es) and the Information for Investors pursuant to § 21 AIFMG, especially the risk notices they contain, before making an investment decision.

Please consult the corresponding information in the fund prospectus and the Information for Investors pursuant to Art 21 AIFMG for restrictions on the sale of fund shares to American or Russian citizens. Misprints and errors excepted.

The public sale of shares in the specified fund in Germany was registered with the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Bonn, pursuant to the German Kapitalanlagegesetzbuch (KAGB). The issue and redemption of unit certificates and the execution of payments to unit holders has been transferred to the Fund's custodian bank/depositary, Erste Group Bank AG, Am Belvedere 1, 1100 Vienna, Austria. Redemption requests can be submitted by investors to their custodian bank, which will forward them to the Custodian Bank/Depositary of the Fund for execution via the usual banking channels. All payments to investors are also processed via the usual banking clearing channel with the investor's custodian bank.. In Germany, the issue and return prices of shares are published in electronic form on the website www.erste-am.com (and also at www.fundinfo.com). Any other information for Shareholders is published in the Bundesanzeiger, Cologne.

Presentations:

It is expressly noted that presentations shall not be construed as providing investment advice or investment recommendations; presentations simply represent the current market opinion. The presentations are not intended as sales instruments and shall therefore not be construed as an offer to buy or sell financial or investment instruments. The investor shall be solely responsible for any and all decisions that he makes on the basis of this presentation.