This fund can be found in our current Melodic Portfolios which focus on Socially Responsible Investments.
Rathbone, founded in 1742 as a timber trading business became a financial management company in 1912. In 1988 it merged with Comprehensive Financial Services LTD to form Rathbone Brothers Plc. Rathbone is now one of the UK’s largest investment & wealth management companies in the UK with 15 offices across the UK and Jersey.
This fund is used within our Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Melodic portfolios and represents between 3-9% spread within the portfolios. As a Socially Responsible fund, the list of potential investments is researched by Rathbone Greenbank (a specialist ethical investment unit of Rathbone Investment Management Ltd), who apply a mixture of negative and positive criteria. Companies not passing the negative screening criteria are automatically excluded, and these are: alcohol production, animal testing, armaments, environmentally unsustainable or high-impact activities, gambling, nuclear power, pornography and tobacco.
In addition to the negative screen, companies are screened for demonstrating progressive or well-developed practices or policies in the following areas: corporate community investment, employment, human rights, management of environmental impacts and provision of beneficial products and services.
The fund was launched in May 2002 and holds £2,621.21m across 257 holdings and has a 5 year annualised return of 3.45%. This fund is considered by Raynor Spencer Mills as a core ethical bond fund.
Within the top 10 holdings you will find exposure to the following-
Lloyds Banking Group – representing 2.22% of the fund – is one of the UK’s largest financial services provider. Formed in 2009 following the acquisition of Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) and Lloyds TSB is has over 30 million customers and over 65,000 employees. The group is headquartered in London and has offices in Birmingham, Bristol, West Yorkshire and Glasgow. The group also has extensive overseas operations in the US, Europe and the Middle East. The distinctive brands of the group are Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax & Scottish Widows. In 2021 it produced a net income of £5,885billion.
Bupa Finance – representing 1.41% of the fund – is an international health insurance and health care group. Bupa (British United Provident Association Ltd) originates from and is headquartered in the UK. The main countries of operation are UK, Australia, Spain, Chile, Poland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Turkey, Brazil & the United States. Bupa was ranked 83rd out of 750 Global companies in 2020 Forbes World’s Best Employers. 71% of Bupa’s revenue comes from health insurance and in 2021 produces £423m net income.
Liverpool Victoria – representing 1.38% of the fund, Liverpool Victoria is one of the UK largest insurance companies offering a range of insurance and retirement products. The first known meeting of the society was in March 1843 and in May 2007 Liverpool Victoria changed its trading name to LV=. LV’s headquarters are in Bournemouth and has offices around the UK including one in Exeter. LV= has 5,700 employees and in 2021 produced an operating profit of £31 million.