Manulife Investment Management launches Global Climate Action Fund in Europe to help meet increasing demand for sustainable investment solutions that tackle climate risks

Three additional Manulife Global Fund sub-funds available for sale bringing specialised investment solutions and ongoing product development to European investors

LONDON, Sept. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Investment Management has announced the launch of The Manulife Global Fund - Global Climate Action Fund ("Fund")¹ for European institutional investors² in a continued drive to invest in innovative organisations that contribute to achieving net zero. The Article 9 Fund seeks long-term capital growth by investing in organisations that make positive contributions to climate change.

Sustainable investing is a key driver of investment in Europe: European assets invested in investment funds labelled as sustainable under Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation doubled to EUR 4 trillion by the end of 2021.³ Manulife Investment Management is  a founding member of Climate Action 100+ and signatory to the UN's Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) from which it received the PRI leaders award in 2020 for practices in climate reporting. It is well placed to respond to investors' increasingly demanding investment needs with solutions that work toward driving the reduction of carbon emissions while seeking to generate long-term sustainable investment returns through investments in equities.

"European investors are very conscious of how their actions affect the environment and demand innovative investment solutions that focus on and measure climate action," says Patrick Blais, head of Manulife Investment Management's fundamental equity team. "We believe businesses that are nimble and able to align policies and practices to lower their carbon emissions while also creating strong financial returns are set to be more attractive to investors, have a greater potential to outperform, and can represent less risk for investors over the long term."

Manulife Investment Management launched its Global Climate Action strategy in Canada early last year and it is now available to European institutional investors through the Fund. The Fund seeks to invest in companies that are considered by the investment manager to be aligned with the principles of the Paris Agreement and make positive contributions to climate change.

"Whilst some funds focus on passively investing in companies who have low greenhouse gas emissions, we also seek to invest in companies who are likely to significantly reduce emissions, by looking for companies who have incorporated science-based targets into their business to ensure long-term, measurable impact, which should help lead to a faster route to achieving net zero objectives," added Mr. Blais.

"Manulife Investment Management offers products and services that can generate growth over the long term and support customers who want to make sustainable choices," says Marco Zanuso, head of distribution EMEA, at Manulife Investment Management. "The launch of this and other sustainably – focused Manulife Global Fund sub-funds to European institutional clients showcases our ESG capabilities and the importance of aligning with the Paris Agreement framework in the journey toward a low-carbon future. It also illustrates our global approach to investing to capture opportunities for European investors across all markets." 

Manulife Investment Management has further announced the expansion of its range of Manulife Global fund sub-funds available to European investors: Sustainable Asia Equity Fund, Asian High Yield Fund, and U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund.

Sustainable Asia Equity Fund, an Article 8 fund, follows the launch of Manulife Investment Management's Sustainable Asia Bond Fund in 2020, and seeks to take advantage of the ongoing global trends in sustainable and responsible investing. Sustainable Asia Equity Fund aims to capitalise on the sustainability opportunities that exist in the region, driven by increasing importance attributed by investors and stakeholders to the sustainability of businesses in Asia.

Asian High Yield Fund and U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund represent a continuation of bringing Manulife Investment Management's long-standing expertise in the United States and Asia into the European market, offering investors access to compelling investment opportunities across these continents.

Manulife Global Fund – Global Climate Action Fund, and the other three sub-funds referenced herein are available to institutional investors in the following European countries: United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Denmark, and Switzerland.

Manulife Investment Management is the global brand for the global wealth and asset management segment of Manulife Financial Corporation. We draw on more than a century of financial stewardship and the full resources of our parent company to serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. Headquartered in Toronto, our leading capabilities in public and private markets are strengthened by an investment footprint that spans 19 geographies. We complement these capabilities by providing access to a network of unaffiliated asset managers from around the world. We're committed to investing responsibly across our businesses. We develop innovative global frameworks for sustainable investing, collaboratively engage with companies in our securities portfolios, and maintain a high standard of stewardship where we own and operate assets, and we believe in supporting financial well-being through our workplace retirement plans. Today, plan sponsors around the world rely on our retirement plan administration and investment expertise to help their employees plan for, save for, and live a better retirement. Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulifeim.com.

Media contacts: Elizabeth Bartlett, Manulife Investment Management, +1 857 210 2286, elizabeth_bartlett@manulife.com; Eva Murphy, Lansons, +44 7870 397 524, evam@lansons.com

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