Triodos Sustainable Bond Fund

Sustainability criteria

Triodos Sustainable Bond Fund invests in bonds issued by listed companies delivering superior social, environmental and financial performance. Triodos Sustainable Bond Fund may also invest in government bonds. 

Corporate bonds

Our research team screens companies on a number of sustainability criteria and enters into a dialogue with these companies about:

1. Sustainable activities

For the Triodos investment universe we select companies that derive over 50% of their revenues from sustainable products or services that contribute to a clean earth, healthy living or climate protection.

2. Comparative

Companies that do not provide typically sustainable products or services are analyzed based on sustainability themes that cover environmental, social and corporate governance issues. The top 50% of the companies in a particular sector are eligible for investment.

3. Minimum standards

All companies that are selected must meet strict minimum standards , including: 

• No involvement in nuclear energy
• No involvement in child labour
• No involvement in environmental crimes

In practice, these criteria result in the selection of 25% of the companies that are analyzed.

Government bonds

We only invest in government bonds issued by:

• properly functioning democracies
• countries not subject to United Nations sanctions
• countries that subscribe to the main broadly supported United Nations conventions

Triodos Sustainable Bond Fund invests in government bonds from the following list of countries: The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, France, Spain, United Kingdom and Germany.

For further information about our beliefs and the selection criteria we apply, please see the SRI Expertise page.

Financial management

The financial management is handled by Delta Lloyd Asset Management NV, which invests in companies included in the Triodos investment universe that are likely to generate the highest financial returns.

Vision on sustainable investments in listed companies

As a sustainable investor, Triodos seeks to invest in companies that function in line with its values and that deliver long-term value in harmony with society and the environment. As a manager of a number of Socially Responsible Investment products, we believe we have the power and the responsibility to encourage companies to improve their business practices. Companies depend on investment to finance their growth, and the positive role that investors can play in influencing their behaviour is becoming increasingly widely understood.

Dialogue with companies

Triodos sees dialogue as a way to enhance the business performance and the ‘license to operate’ of companies. In 2010 Triodos engaged with companies on over 750 occasions, addressing their business practices and impacts and suggest possible improvements. In exercising our influence, we focus exclusively on the long term strategy and planning of companies. The constructive dialogue we conduct with companies aims to stimulate improved sustainability performance, in three main ways:

1. By raising awareness

We share results of the research process, including a full overview of individual performance on three key sustainable themes, as well as the comparative performance.

2. By convincing

We periodically define a number of sustainability themes on which we actively engage with companies. By addressing these subjects at the right time, we aim to increase the impact of this approach.

3. By motivating change

In order to motivate change, we use our rights as a shareholder on Annual General Meetings, by voting and speaking on these meetings.

Read more about our dialogue with companies .

Downloads

Proxy voting guidelines
Company engagement report
Investment strategy
Minimum standards