Risk Considerations

Sustainability-related disclosures

Statement on principal adverse impacts of investment decisions on sustainability factors

The sustainability-related disclosures are meant to be revised as necessary from time to time to capture any changes or reviews. The capitalized terms are used in accordance with the definitions and references outlined in Capital International Fund Prospectus.

The below section “Summary” was prepared in English and is being translated to other official languages of the European Economic Area. In case of any inconsistency(ies) or conflict(s) between the different versions of this section “Summary”, the English language version shall prevail.

Date

This information is valid as of 15 December 2023.

Summary

This Fund promotes environmental or social characteristics, but does not have as its objective sustainable investment.

The Fund aims to manage a carbon footprint (weighted average carbon intensity (“WACI”)) for its investments in corporate issuers that is generally at least 30% lower than Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Corporate Total Return Hedged to USD index. While this Fund is actively managed and without any reference or constraints to a reference index concerning the composition of the portfolio of the Fund (within the limits of the relevant specific investment objective and policy), the Fund is using this index to monitor the investment’s carbon emission. The Investment Adviser relies on third party data to carry out ongoing monitoring of the WACI at the Fund level, and may reduce or eliminate exposures to certain companies as necessary.

The Investment Adviser identifies certain issuers or groups of issuers that it excludes from the portfolio to promote the environmental or social characteristics supported by the Fund. The Investment Adviser evaluates and applies ESG and norms-based screening to implement exclusions on corporate and sovereign issuers with respect to certain sectors such as tobacco, fossil fuel and weapons, as well as companies violating the United Nations Global Compact principles.

To support this screening, for sovereign issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on the use of proprietary research. The Investment Adviser leverages data from third party institutions to calculate ESG scores across the entire sovereign universe. This assessment highlights indicators related to vulnerability to climate change, dimensions of human development, and various measures of governance. Data for each issuer is analysed to compute composite sovereign ESG performance scores. Sovereign issuers that are considered to be poor performing outliers are excluded from the Fund’s investment universe.

For corporate issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on third party provider(s) who identify an issuer’s participation in or the revenue which they derive from activities that are inconsistent with the ESG and norms-based screens. In this way, third party provider data is used to support the application of ESG and norms-based screening by the Investment Adviser. In the event that exclusions cannot be verified through the third party provider(s) or if the Investment Adviser believes that third party data and/or assessment is incomplete or inaccurate, the Investment Adviser will aim to identify business involvement activities through its own assessment (including by using other third party data sources).

The Negative Screening Policy applied by the Investment Adviser can be found on:

https://www.capitalgroup.com/content/dam/cgc/tenants/eacg/negative-screening-policy.pdf 

The Fund promotes, among other characteristics, environmental and social characteristics, provided that the companies in which investments are made follow good governance practices. Good governance practices are evaluated as part of the Investment Adviser’s ESG integration process. Such practices are assessed through a monitoring process. Where relevant, fundamental analysis of a range of governance metrics that cover areas such as auditing practices, board composition and executive compensation, among others, is also conducted.

Information on Capital Group’s corporate governance principles can be also found in its Proxy Voting Procedures and Principles. The ESG Policy Statement provides additional detail on Capital Group’s views on specific ESG issues, including ethical conduct, disclosures and corporate governance, available on:

https://www.capitalgroup.com/content/dam/cgc/tenants/eacg/esg/files/esg-policy-statement(en).pdf

The Fund’s carbon constraint does not apply to the entire portfolio, and will apply only to corporate issuers that have carbon emissions data available (reported or estimated). The Capital Group’s Negative Screening Policy will apply to the entire portfolio, with the exception of cash, cash equivalents and money market funds. Index derivatives that are used for hedging and/or investment purposes will not be assessed on a look–through basis. Therefore, there may be circumstances where the Fund may gain indirect exposure to an issuer involved in the excluded categories (through, including but not limited to, derivatives and instrument that gives exposure to an index). Single-name derivatives will need to be compliant with the Negative Screening Policy. The Investment Adviser will ensure that collateral received is aligned with the policy.

The planned asset allocation is monitored continuously and evaluated on a yearly basis.

To measure the attainment of the environmental and/or social characteristics promoted, the Fund considers the following principal adverse impacts (PAIs) on sustainability factors:

- Principal Adverse Impact 1 on greenhouse gas emissions.

- Principal Adverse Impact 4 on exposure to companies active in the fossil fuel sector.

- Principal Adverse Impact 10 on United Nations Global Compact violators.

- Principal Adverse Impact 14 on controversial weapons.

Exclusions are primarily identified through a third-party provider, MSCI ESG Business Involvement Screening Research (“MSCI ESG”). Other data points include the MSCI United Nations Global Compact violators and MSCI Carbon Footprint Metrics.

The methodology and sources relating to the exclusions and the ESG integration approach as a whole have certain limitations. The carbon footprint is measured by the WACI score relative to the relevant index.

Members of Capital Group's compliance, risk management and internal audit staff conduct periodic assessments on the design and operating effectiveness of the firm’s ESG activities and key controls. Establishing dialogue with companies is an integral part of the Investment Adviser’s investment management service to clients. This enables the company to engage and generate dialogue on any issues that could affect the company’s long-term prospects, including exposures to sustainability issues.

The Fund has not designated a reference benchmark to meet the environmental and/or social characteristics it promotes.

No sustainable investment objective

This Fund promotes environmental or social characteristics but does not have as its objective sustainable investment. The Fund does not make any sustainable investments.

Environmental or social characteristics of the financial product

The environmental and/or social characteristics promoted by the Fund are the following:

- In addition to the integration of sustainability risks as part of the Investment Adviser’s investment decision-making process, the Fund aims to manage a carbon footprint (weighted average carbon intensity (“WACI”)) for its investments in corporate issuers that is generally at least 30% lower than the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Corporate Total Return Hedged to USD index. In managing to this constraint, the Fund is considering Principal Adverse Impact 1 on greenhouse gas emissions.

- The Fund evaluates and applies ESG and norms-based screening to implement exclusions on corporate issuers. In applying these screens, the Fund is considering Principal Adverse Impact 4 on exposure to companies active in the fossil fuel sector, Principal Adverse Impact 10 on United Nations Global Compact violators and Principal Adverse Impact 14 on controversial weapons.

The Investment Adviser can select investments to the extent they do not trigger a breach of the carbon target and are in line with the exclusion policy.

There is no reference benchmark designated for the purpose of attaining the environmental or social characteristics promoted by the Fund.

Investment strategy

The Fund aims to manage a carbon footprint for its investment in corporate issuers that is generally at least 30% lower than the Fund’s selected index (Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Corporate Total Return Hedged to USD). The selected index is representative of the investment universe of the Fund. The Investment Adviser uses the WACI as a metric to measure the Fund’s carbon footprint. In calculating the Fund’s WACI, the Investment Adviser relies on third party data provider. In the event that reported carbon emissions data is not available for a particular issuer, the third-party provider may provide estimates using their own methodologies Issuers that do not have any carbon emissions data available (reported or estimated) are excluded from the WACI calculation. Excluded from the WACI determination are cash, cash equivalents, money market funds, derivatives, sovereigns and securitised products. The Investment Adviser assesses the portfolio WACI data on an ongoing basis to help the Fund remain within the target level. It is not the intention of the Investment Adviser to automatically exclude higher carbon emitters on an individual basis.

The Fund evaluates and applies ESG and norms-based screening to implement exclusions on corporate and sovereign issuers. The Investment Adviser evaluates and applies ESG and norms-based screening to implement exclusions on corporate issuers, with respect to certain sectors such as tobacco, fossil fuel and weapons, as well as companies violating the principles of the United Nations Global Compact. In applying these screens, the Fund is considering the Principal Adverse Impact 4 on exposure to companies active in the fossil fuel sector, Principal Adverse Impact 10 on United Nations Global Compact violators and Principal Adverse Impact 14 on controversial weapons.

To support this screening, for sovereign issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on the use of proprietary research. The Investment Adviser leverages data from third party providers (where available) to calculate ESG scores across the entire sovereign universe. This assessment highlights indicators related to vulnerability to climate change, dimensions of human development, and various measures of governance. Data for each issuer is analysed to compute composite sovereign ESG performance scores. Sovereign issuers that are considered to be poor performing outliers are excluded from the Fund’s investment universe.  

For corporate issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on third party provider(s). In this way, third party provider data is used to support the application of ESG and norms-based screening by the Investment Adviser. The third party provider(s) supplies a profile of each company’s specific business involvement in, or the revenue which they derive from, activities that are inconsistent with the ESG and norms-based screens applied to the Fund.

The Negative Screening Policy applied by the Investment Adviser can be found on:

https://www.capitalgroup.com/content/dam/cgc/tenants/eacg/negative-screening-policy.pdf 

The Fund promotes, among other characteristics, environmental and social characteristics, provided the companies in which investments are made follow good governance practices. Good governance practices are evaluated as part of the Investment Adviser’s ESG integration process. Such practices are assessed through a monitoring process. Where relevant, fundamental analysis of a range of governance metrics that cover areas such as auditing practices, board composition and executive compensation, among others, is also conducted. The Investment Adviser also engages in regular dialogue with companies on corporate governance issues and exercises its proxy voting rights for the entities in which the Fund invests.

Capital Group's ESG Policy Statement provides additional detail on Capital Group’s views on specific ESG issues, including ethical conduct, disclosures and corporate governance. Information on Capital Group’s corporate governance principles can be found in its Proxy Voting Procedures and Principles as well as in the ESG Policy Statement.

Further details can be found in the ESG Policy Statement on:

https://www.capitalgroup.com/content/dam/cgc/tenants/eacg/esg/files/esg-policy-statement(en).pdf

Proportion of investments

Generally, at least 90% of the Fund's investments in transferable securities at the time of purchase are used to attain the environmental or social characteristics promoted by the Fund (being subject to the Investment Adviser’s binding Negative Screening Policy and carbon constraint), and a maximum of 10% of the Fund’s investments in transferable securities are in category “#2 Other” and so may not be used to attain the environmental or social characteristics promoted by the Fund, and therefore are not aligned.

The Fund’s carbon constraint does not apply to the entire portfolio, and will only apply to corporate issuers that have carbon emissions data available (reported or estimated). Cash holdings are also not considered in scope of the carbon constraint.

The Fund's Negative Screening Policy will apply to the entire portfolio, with the exception of cash, cash equivalents and money market funds.

The planned asset allocation is monitored continuously and evaluated on a yearly basis.

Monitoring of environmental or social characteristics

The sustainability indicators used by the Fund to measure the attainment of each of the environmental or social characteristics it promotes are the following:

- Carbon constraint; and

- Negative Screening Policy.

To measure the attainment of the environmental and/or social characteristics promoted, the Fund considers the following principal adverse impacts (PAIs) on sustainability factors:

- Principal Adverse Impact 1 on greenhouse gas emissions.

- Principal Adverse Impact 4 on exposure to companies active in the fossil fuel sector.

- Principal Adverse Impact 10 on United Nations Global Compact violators.

- Principal Adverse Impact 14 on controversial weapons.

The Fund applies investment restrictions rules on a pre-trade basis in portfolio management systems to prohibit investment in companies or issuers based on the exclusion criteria. The portfolio also undergoes regular/systematic post-trade compliance checks.

To support this screening, for sovereign issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on the use of proprietary research. The Investment Adviser leverages data from third party institutions to calculate ESG scores across the entire sovereign universe. This assessment highlights indicators related to vulnerability to climate change, dimensions of human development, and various measures of governance. Data for each issuer is analysed to compute composite sovereign ESG performance scores. Sovereign issuers that are considered to be poor performing outliers are excluded from the Fund’s investment universe.  

For corporate issuers, the Investment Adviser relies on third party provider(s). In this way, third party provider data is used to support the application of ESG and norms-based screening by the Investment Adviser. The third party provider(s) supplies a profile of each company’s specific business involvement in, or the revenue which they derive from, activities that are inconsistent with the ESG and norms-based screens applied to the Fund.

In the event that exclusions cannot be verified through the third-party provider(s) or if the Investment Adviser believes that third party data and/or assessment is incomplete or inaccurate, the Investment Adviser will aim to identify business involvement activities through its own assessment (including by using third-party data sources). Please refer to Fund’s Negative Screening Policy for further details.

If the portfolio was in danger of breaching the target, holdings would be adjusted to increase the margin between the portfolio carbon footprint and target level; exposure to selected higher emitters would be reduced with increased exposure to lower emitters, while ensuring the Fund’s investment objective is maintained. Compliance checks are in place to facilitate this and mitigate the risk of any breach, for example as the result of market movement. Carbon footprint reports use MSCI Carbon Footprint Metrics data.

Methodologies

The Fund implements two binding ESG-related criteria: sector- and norms-based screens in the form of exclusions and a carbon footprint target.

The SFDR classification is related to the European Union’s regulation and is not equivalent to approval or recognition as an ESG Fund by regulators in Asia Pacific.

The negative screens and carbon footprint align to the four PAIs listed above.

Data sources and processing

Exclusions are primarily identified through a third-party provider, MSCI ESG Business Involvement Screening Research (“MSCI ESG”). Other data points include the MSCI United Nations Global Compact violators and MSCI Carbon Footprint Metrics.

Capital Group periodically reviews the quality of the service provider organisations’ performance and conducts ongoing monitoring and due diligence activities commensurate with the significance of the services provided.

The Fund’s Negative Screening Policy applied can be found on:

https://www.capitalgroup.com/content/dam/cgc/tenants/eacg/negative-screening-policy.pdf

Limitations to methodologies and data

The methodology and sources relating to the exclusions and the ESG integration approach as a whole have certain limitations. In order to identify all publicly traded companies globally which are involved in activities such as the production of controversial products and revenue derived from activities that are inconsistent with the ESG and norms-based screens, the Fund uses data from third-party provider(s). In the event that data cannot be obtained through third-party providers or if the Investment Adviser believes that third-party data and/or assessment is incomplete or inaccurate, the Investment Adviser will aim to identify business involvement activities through its own assessment (including by using other third-party data sources). 

Due diligence

Members of Capital Group's compliance, risk management and internal audit staff conduct periodic assessments on the design and operating effectiveness of the firm’s ESG activities and key controls. This includes compliance with internal processes and procedures as well as with the regulatory landscape in the jurisdictions in which the company operates. Capital Group meets regularly with the third-party data providers to review the quality of the services provided.

Pre-trade and post-trade checks are also in place as further explained in section “Monitoring of environmental or social characteristics” above.

Engagement policies

Establishing dialogue with companies is an integral part of the Investment Adviser’s investment management service to clients. Capital Group’s investment teams meet on a regular basis with company management, including executive and non-executive directors, chairs and finance directors. This enables the company to engage and generate dialogue on any issues that could affect the company’s long-term prospects, including exposures to sustainability issues.

Where Capital Group's investment teams identify an issue material to the long-term value of a company or they are concerned about relative ESG performance, Capital Group's investment professionals and governance teams will engage with management. Management’s response and the steps they take to minimise any associated risks, forms an important part of Capital Group's assessment of management quality, which itself is a key factor in the stock selection decisions.

Designated reference benchmark

The Fund has not designated a reference benchmark to meet the environmental and/or social characteristics it promotes.