Investment company AllianceBernstein has launched the AB Diversity Champions Equity Portfolio.

The fund will use the UN Sustainable Development Goals to help identify opportunities, and will invest in global companies that are aligned to at least one of three SDGs focused on promoting gender equality, decent work and economic growth, and reducing inequalities.

The fund’s portfolio management team, Vivian Lubrano and Gayle Baldwin, will also use AB’s proprietary six-pillar Diversity Champion Assessment to determine which companies to include in the portfolio.

Vivian Lubrano, joint portfolio manager AB Diversity Champions Equity Portfolio, commented: "It is harder than ever for companies to stay ahead of the competition and deliver attractive returns in an uncertain and volatile market environment. But there is one increasingly important factor that can help them succeed: building a workforce that embraces the benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion. We didn’t feel that this competitive advantage has yet been properly understood or valued by the market, but we aim to bring it to the forefront.”

Gayle Baldwin, joint portfolio manager AB Diversity Champions Equity Portfolio, added: "We are excited to launch this fund which is focused on the S in ESG. We are targeting companies strategically embracing the benefits of diversity, equity and inclusion. In leveraging the full potential of their diverse talent base, they are demonstrating a clear competitive advantage which is currently undervalued by the market.”

The investment company, which has US$680 billion in AUM, says the new fund is designed to offer investors the chance to capitalise on the long-term shift to a more diverse world.

Share Story: