Engagement
As committed investor we try to engage in an active dialogue with the invested companies and governments within the framework of our responsibility process. We point at weak spots in the area of environmental, social, and governance criteria and then try to find a solution to improve on the status quo together with the company. Our engagement is not only a question of responsibility, but also contributes to minimising risks and can thus improve the long-term investment success of our clients. We engage with companies that the funds of the ERSTE-RESPONSIBLE family of funds invest in. In some cases we also contact companies that we are not invested in – after all, we also want to effect changes in companies that are not investable to us due to their shortcomings in the area of responsibility. We may exclude companies from our investment universe that persistently refuse to enter into a dialogue with us.
In our engagement process we follow four strategies:
- Thematic engagement: we address ESG-relevant topics at regular intervals and report publicly on them. This way we not only ensure that our engagement remains focused, but we also increase the willingness of companies to enter into a dialogue with us. We frequently report on our topical engagement in our investment magazine ERSTE RESPONSIBLE RETURN - The ESG Letter
- Austria engagement: as market leader in Austria we feel obliged to put a specific focus on domestic engagement activities. This is where we leverage our strong market position and reputation.
- Engagement cooperation: we bundle our influence with other engaged investors in order to facilitate change. In doing so we often act as leader in responsibility networks such as PRI.
- External engagement partners: we cooperate with a specialised partner, GES (Global Engagement Service). The agency bundles the capital of numerous investors who participate in order to be accepted as equal partner by the contacted company. GES is globally active and supports Erste Asset Management especially in developing countries.
Once a year we issue a detailed report on our engagement activities, together with GES.
Erste AM Engagement guideline
Erste AM Engagement & Voting Reports
Mediate Engagement via GES (Global Engagement Services)
Voting
Part of our engagement as investor is the concept of “active ownership”, i.e. the active exercising of our voting rights at the general annual meetings of companies that we are invested in. In order to ensure transparency and consistency of our voting, we have compiled a detailed guideline and frequently and publicly report on our voting behaviour on our voting portal.
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. Unless indicated otherwise, source: Erste Asset Management GmbH. 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.