The Socially Responsible Investment Fund PCC plc (‘SRIF’ or ‘The Fund’) has been launched by The Premier Group (Isle of Man) Ltd (‘Premier’) and will allow retail investors to access a diverse range of socially responsible investments from a minimum of ?1,000, per investment which should broaden their asset mix and, through their investment, help to create a better environment.
The Fund has been formally authorised by the Isle of Man FSC and been recognised in the UK by the FCA for the purposes of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 which means that it is available to retail investors.
The Directors believe that multi-asset allocation and multi-thematic investment is the best way to invest in this area and the Fund is therefore structured as a fund of alternative investment funds (“FoF”). As such, its strategy is to invest in funds which hold assets in companies in the clean energy, resource recovery & recycling, sustainable food production and clean water provision sectors.
The Fund will also be unique in having the option to include certain investments within the investment portfolio that are only distributed by Premier who are the Fund Manager. One such option could be to include investment in The Eco Resources Fund PCC plc.
Director of Premier, Jamie Sutton, said, “With critical environmental challenges faced by society such as waste mountains, landfill limitations, pollution, resource scarcity, population growth and environmental degradation, we believe this is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting investment contribution and significant financial return.
“Premier has been involved in the environmentally friendly sector for many years and has witnessed at first hand clients growing appetite for investments that can have a positive social impact. Now we are able to reach a wider audience as SRIF provides an opportunity for investors to do this from a much lower amount”.
Mr Sutton concluded: “The global population is predicted to rise to around nine billion by 2050 and as a consequence, the world will need around 50 per cent more water, energy and food. We all need to adopt more socially and environmentally responsible attitudes and by investing carefully we can make a positive contribution.”
SMP Fund Services Ltd, the appointed administrator, also assisted with the administration of the fund during its set up and launch.
Group Chairman Steve McGowan said: “We are very pleased to have been involved in bringing this innovative product to the market, assisting The Premier Group (Isle of Man) Limited to deliver the first Isle of Man Authorised Scheme to be launched in eight years.
‘‘This fund recognises the growing importance of environmental responsibility to investors and balances that demand with a strategy which understands the need to deliver a broad asset mix when investing in these sectors.’’
SMP Fund Services Ltd is a team of dedicated and experienced professionals offering fund administration solutions, including Exempt International Schemes, Qualified Investor Funds and Specialist Investor Funds. It is part of the SMP Partners Group, one of the largest provider of corporate, trust and fund administration services in the Isle of Man. The Group’s highly-experienced, multi-disciplined team encompasses company secretarial and trust experts, accounting, tax, VAT and legal specialists.
