Fund aimed at young... and ‘groovy grandparents’

INVESTMENT house Aberdeen Standard hopes its new fund – The Global Sustainability Trust – will help feed the growing appetite for social and environmental impact investing.

Although recent research by Barclays suggests the trend is driven by younger investors, Aberdeen Standard expects ‘groovy grandparents’ – with money to spare – to wake up to the benefits. The trust has an initial target of £200 million – money which it will use to invest in companies that align with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.

These are firms that primarily assist in providing sustainable energy, food and agriculture. The trust will work with venture firm Bridges Ventures in finding suitable private equity opportunities. In the past, Bridges has backed World of Books, a company that buys unwanted books from charity shops, identifies which ones are worth selling second-hand through Amazon, before sending the rest to be pulped. Charity shops benefit and pulping volumes are reduced. Roger Pim, manager of the new trust, says: ‘At least 95 per cent of investment opportunities in the social and environmental impact area are private companies. We will be the only investor in many of these businesses and will seek ones aligned to our sustainable goals.

‘The investment trust structure offers private investors access to a diversified portfolio of opportunities not otherwise available to them.’ The initial offer for shares in The Global Sustainability Trust closes on December 11. You can apply via registrar Computershare or investment platforms such as Alliance Trust and Hargreaves Lansdown. Minimum investment is £500. For information, visit globalsustainabilitytrust.co.uk.