UBS launches Future of Earth fund

Zurich, 27 May 2021 – Focusing on four themes – people, health, communities; sustainable energy; land; and water – identified by UBS GWM's Chief Investment Office (CIO) in its recent Future of Earth report¹, the fund seeks to select companies who are set to benefit from long-term sustainability trends, such as consumer preferences shifting towards more sustainable products. The fund is aligned to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and aims to take into consideration environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities throughout the investment process.

The fund harnesses the capabilities of multiple active equity portfolio managers, each responsible for one of the four investment themes. The portfolio managers – at launch: Allianz Global Investors, Pictet Asset Management, Polar Capital, and Robeco – will each be benchmarked against a specific MSCI thematic index. The investment universe consists of equities of small, medium and large-cap companies in developed and emerging markets globally.

This is the fourth fund UBS GWM is launching with a thematic approach, after the Digital Transformation Dynamic, Digital Transformation Themes, and Future of Humans funds, which were made available to investors in 2020. To date, the three funds combined have managed to gather over USD 2.6 billion in assets under management.²

Bruno Marxer, Head of Global Investment Management at UBS Global Wealth Management, said:
“In an environment of rising bond yields and increased volatility, we see an opportunity for investors looking to position for structural growth. This fund allows us and our clients to harness the power of investing towards preserving our planet for the next generation and gaining exposure to the sectors set to lead the way. Investors should consider this fund as part of a diversified long-term portfolio.”

UBS was the first major global financial institution to make sustainable investments its preferred solution for private clients investing globally and, in April 2021, announced tougher environmental standards and a detailed roadmap for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Future of Earth fund exemplifies the bank’s ambition to provide new sustainable investment opportunities and make them readily available to clients through UBS GWM’s Manage SI mandate solution, via the UBS My Way app, or as part of the advisory product shelf.

The Multi Manager Access II – Future of Earth fund is available in jurisdictions including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.

¹ https://www.ubs.com/cio-futureofearth
² As of May 2021

UBS provides financial advice and solutions to wealthy, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as private clients in Switzerland. UBS's strategy is centered on our leading global wealth management business and our premier universal bank in Switzerland, enhanced by Asset Management and the Investment Bank. The bank focuses on businesses that have a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital efficient, and have an attractive long-term structural growth or profitability outlook.

UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in more than 50 regions and locations, with about 30% of its employees working in the Americas, 31% in Switzerland, 19% in the rest of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 20% in Asia Pacific. UBS Group AG employs over 68,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

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