Overview
The Baillie Gifford Sustainable Growth Fund (the “Fund”) is a long-term sustainable growth fund that invests in global stocks across a diverse range of market sectors.
The Sustainable Growth team have two fundamental beliefs:
- Companies capable of sustaining profitable growth over a genuinely long time horizon will make the best investments
- Companies can be a force for good, making a difference to society through what they do or how they do it
These two beliefs underpin the purpose of Sustainable Growth: to invest in enduring growth companies that deliver enduring good. Through engagement with management and voting actions, Baillie Gifford encourages best practice on governance and sustainability matters. This goes beyond Environmental, Social and Governance factors to encompass the company’s strategic direction, corporate culture and alignment with shareholders.
The Fund is a concentrated global equity portfolio that combines the best elements of stewardship and specialist regional expertise to invest in growth businesses over the long term.
Sustainable in both senses of the word
Enduring growth and
enduring good
The team look for companies that have the potential to grow earnings at a double-digit rate for a decade while also making a difference for society
Dedicated and experienced team
The decision-makers have strong track records of running sustainable funds and are renowned for their unique, patient, philosophy
A portfolio to be proud of
The team commits to full transparency in reporting and has several mechanisms by which clients can keep up to date with the progress that companies are making
Screening
The portfolio is subject to two types of ethical screening.
Assesses companies against the principles of the United Nations Global Compact for business.
These principles cover the following areas:
- • human rights
- • labour rights
- • environmental safeguards
- • combating bribery and corruption.
Prevents investments in any companies that derive more than 10% of their gross annual revenues from:
- • the production or sale of tobacco, armaments† or alcohol
- • gambling or adult entertainment related activities
- • fossil fuel extraction.#
The principles are a 'minimum bar' standard for responsible business.
In addition, Colonial First State Investments Limited as Responsible Entity, does not allow any portfolio to invest in companies that are involved in the production of tobacco and manufacture of controversial weapons. Learn more about our exclusions.
†The production and/or distribution of military weapon systems and components, and provision of support systems and services for production of military weapon systems and components.
#Companies involved in the extraction and/or production of oil and gas or the mining and sale of thermal coal, including lignite, bituminous, anthracite and steam coal. It excludes revenue from metallurgical coal, coal mined for internal power generation, intra-company sales of mined thermal coal, and revenue from coal trading.
Positive inclusion factors
- To what extent can the core products or services make a positive difference to society over the next decade?
- Does the company show leadership in its business practices?
- How committed is the company to making a difference?
These three core questions are asked of each company consideration. This discussion also allows Baillie Gifford to identify engagement priorities, material issues where they feel they can have influence should they decide to take a holding.
For more detailed information about how Baillie Gifford manage the Sustainable Growth fund, please refer to the CFS Sustainable Funds Reference Guide.
Fund facts
Invest in a portfolio of global companies with exceptional growth potential that also meet Baillie Gifford’s 'minimum bar' for conducting responsible business.
Investment objective: To outperform the MSCI All Country World Index in AUD per annum, over rolling five year periods before management fees and taxes.
June 2019
MSCI All Country World Index in AUD
Active, long only, fundamental bottom up, benchmark agnostic, strong growth bias
To outperform the MSCI All Country World Index in AUD per annum, over rolling five-year periods before fees and taxes.
Half-yearly
55-80
5 years +
Maximum 5% in one company
Top 5 <50%; maximum 20% in one industry
Benchmark maximum +15%, minimum 10 countries
0 – 5%
0.89% (Class A)
1.01% (FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super and Pension)
0.98% (FirstChoice Wholesale Investments)
N/A
0.10% on application
0.10% on redemption
None
$25,000 (Class A)
$20,000 (FirstChoice Wholesale Pension)
$1,000 (FirstChoice Wholesale Investments)
No minimum (FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super)
FSF4018AU (Class A)
FSF7370AU (FirstChoice Wholesale Investments)
FSF7991AU (FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super)
FSF2212AU (FirstChoice Wholesale Pension)
*Please refer to the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for further details on fees and other costs that apply.
^We may be able to accept below the minimum at our discretion.
Research rating
Lonsec
Resources
Meet the team
Katherine Davidson
- Investment Manager
Katherine Davidson
- Investment Manager
Katherine is an Investment Manager on the Sustainable Growth Team. Before joining Baillie Gifford in September 2022, she had spent her investment career on the Global and International Equity Team at Schroders. Katherine joined the Schroders graduate scheme in 2008 and held various sector and fund responsibilities while developing a growing interest and expertise in sustainable investing. Katherine was instrumental in the development and management of Schroders’ Global Sustainable Growth Fund. She graduated with an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford in 2008 and is a CFA Charterholder.
Toby Ross
- Investment Manager
Toby Ross
- Investment Manager
Toby is an Investment Manager on the Sustainable Growth Team and will be a Partner in the firm from May 2023. He first joined Baillie Gifford in 2006, as an analyst on the UK equities team. He joined the Global Income Growth team as an Investment Manager in 2013, and in this role, he helped to develop the team’s approach to responsible investment. He became the Joint Manager of The Scottish American Investment Company PLC (SAINTS) in 2017. In 2022, Toby assumed the leadership of the Sustainable Growth Team. He graduated MA in English Literature from the University of Cambridge in 2006 and is a CFA Charterholder.
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Get in touch
For technical enquiries contact us
8:30am – 6pm AEST Monday to Friday.
The Lonsec Research Pty Ltd ABN 11 151 658 561 AFSL 421 445 (Lonsec) rating was issued on 17 April 2023 and assigned to Baillie Gifford Sustainable Growth Fund — Class A (FSF4018AU). Ratings are general advice only, and have been prepared by Lonsec without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider your personal circumstances, read the product disclosure statement and seek independent financial advice before investing. The rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any product. Past performance information is not indicative of future performance. Ratings are subject to change without notice and Lonsec assumes no obligation to update. Lonsec uses objective criteria and receives a fee from the Fund Manager. Visit lonsec.com.au for ratings information and to access the full report. © 2023 Lonsec. All rights reserved.
Adviser use only
The Baillie Gifford Sustainable Growth Fund is distributed and offered through the FirstChoice product range, directly via the CFS website and through an investment or superannuation platform or Wrap product. Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531 (AIL) is the trustee of the Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust ABN 26 458 298 557 and issuer of the FirstChoice range of super and pension products. Colonial First State Investments Limited ABN 98 002 348 352, AFSL 232468 (CFSIL) is the responsible entity and issuer of products made available under FirstChoice Investments and FirstChoice Wholesale Investments and other managed investment schemes including Baillie Gifford Funds – Class A. While all care has been taken in preparing the information contained on this website (using reliable and accurate sources), to the extent permitted by law, no one including AIL and CFSIL, nor any related parties, their employees or directors, accept responsibility for loss suffered by anyone from reliance on this information.
This website provides general information for the adviser only and is not to be handed on to any investor. It doesn‘t take into account anyone’s individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Financial Services Guide (FSG) before making any recommendations to a client. The PDS and FSG can be obtained from www.cfs.com.au or by calling us on 13 18 36.