PLDT added to sustainability-based equity fund holdings – Manila Bulletin

PLDT Inc. was included in the ATR Asset Management (ATRAM) Philippine Sustainable Development and Growth Fund (PSDGF), making it the only telco in the fund’s top three holdings.

In its disclosure Monday, May 23, Melissa Vergel de Dios, PLDT First Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer said “We are very pleased with our inclusion in ATRAM’s sustainability-based equity investment portfolio.”

ATRAM’s PSDGF is a pioneer in incorporating the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its investment portfolio.

The Fund, established in February 2021, aims to achieve capital growth by investing locally in equities of companies whose products and services contribute to positive environmental or social change.

Following the fund’s annual review on its second year, PLDT was added to the fund’s holdings with a weight of 7 percent, following Century Pacific Food Inc. with a weight of 7.4 percent.

“It recognizes the PLDT Group’s long-term commitment to sustainable business practices,” noted Vergel de Dios.

“While much still needs to be done, this affirms that our efforts and plans to address environmental, social and governance issues are directed towards areas that matter.”

“Even as we ramp up initiatives to ensure the best customer experience and pursue improvement in our profitability, we are doing so without forgetting our responsibility as a steward of the planet for the next generation,” she explained.

As part of its annual portfolio review, ATR Asset Management handpicks 20 firms listed in the local bourse that are seen to be contributing to positive environmental, economic, and social change.

The fund manager measures specific outcomes or performance of companies based on SDGs grouped into wellness, progress, and fairness.

The unit investment trust fund aims to draw in investors who are eyeing local equity securities with a long-term outlook and an aggressive profile.

The market has shown an appetite for companies that have integrated sustainability into their business. The fund grew 21 percent in 2021 outpacing the bellwether PSE Index by more than 18 percent.