Responsible investing, including the incorporation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, has been an integral part of UTAM’s investment analysis and decision-making process since 2016. Consistent with this approach, we are pleased to announce an investment in the Impax Global Opportunities strategy, a long-only global equity strategy managed by Impax Asset Management (“Impax”). Founded in 1998, Impax is a specialist asset manager investing in the opportunities arising from the transition to a more sustainable global economy.

In 2020, after an extensive global search by UTAM’s public equities team, we identified Impax as a leader in responsible investing and a manager that would be a great fit in our client portfolios. We believe that Impax’s overall approach to responsible investing is one of the best in the industry.

The Impax Global Opportunities strategy aims to achieve long-term capital growth by investing in companies that have sustainable competitive advantages and are likely to benefit from the transition to a more sustainable global economy. ESG analysis is an integral part of Impax’s investment process, and the manager’s internal ESG assessments determine a company’s eligibility for investment and its maximum allowed weight within a portfolio.

We spent several months working with Impax to create a U.S.-based institutional investment vehicle for its Global Opportunities strategy, which launched on March 1. The strategy has been live since January 2015, and it is co-managed by Kirsteen Morrison and David Winborne.

“We are excited to partner with Impax in the launch of this new investment vehicle,” says Daren Smith, UTAM’s President and Chief Investment Officer. “Impax is a leader in responsible investing. This initiative will not only benefit our client but also allow other investors to invest alongside us in this tax-efficient vehicle.”

“We are also pleased to partner with UTAM, which takes responsible investing seriously and is a leader in the area,” adds David Richardson, Executive Director, Client Service & Business Development at Impax. “By seeding this new investment vehicle in the U.S., UTAM has enabled us to offer our Global Opportunities strategy to other North American investors in an efficient manner.”

Learn more about responsible investing at UTAM.  

About Impax

Founded in 1998, Impax is a specialist asset manager, with approximately C$49.1bn (as of 28 February 2021) in both listed and private markets strategies, investing in the opportunities arising from the transition to a more sustainable global economy.

Impax believes that capital markets will be shaped profoundly by global sustainability challenges, including climate change, pollution, and essential investments in human capital, infrastructure, and resource efficiency. These trends will drive growth for well-positioned companies and create risks for those unable or unwilling to adapt.

The company seeks to invest in higher quality companies with strong business models that demonstrate sound management of risk. Impax offers a well-rounded suite of investment solutions spanning multiple asset classes seeking superior risk-adjusted returns over the medium to long term.

Impax has ca. 180 employees across six offices in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, and Hong Kong, making it one of the investment management sector’s largest investment teams dedicated to sustainable development.

www.impaxam.com