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ESG focus

We use the term ESG focus to cover products with defined sustainability characteristics relating to environmental and social matters. 

A rubber dinghy inside a large ice cave in Greenland.

What is ESG focus?

All our strategies consider a broad range of issues that could affect their holdings’ long-term growth, including environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. But some go further to look explicitly for assets with defined sustainability characteristics. That definition may be narrow, for example, alignment with a climate objective or the exclusion of assets that don’t meet environmental or social standards. Or it may be broad, including assets promoting environmental or social outcomes.

How does Baillie Gifford achieve ESG focus?

Our strategies explicitly focus on identifying investments with environmental and/or social characteristics. They achieve this either through reducing negative impacts or promoting positive outcomes. In all cases, the assets must also have the potential to generate strong returns over the long term for you.  

For further-reaching goals, you may wish to explore our impact capability. 

All our investment capabilities

These ESG categories are Baillie Gifford’s own. We do not intend them to align with any jurisdiction’s current or future regulatory regimes. We assign products to these categories at an investment strategy level. You should not assume that any portfolio (including any funds) managed under the relevant strategy will align with the strategy’s ESG categorisation. Investors should refer to a fund’s prospectus or other offering documents to ascertain its approach to ESG investment.