Franklin Templeton has launched an ETF built around Roman Catholic principles.
The Catholic Principles Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt Ucits ETF will form part of the firm’s $12 billion LibertyShares ETF range.
This strategy will invest in both euro and dollar denominated sovereign debt issued by emerging market countries.
It excludes bonds issued by countries that score poorly on several criteria set out by the index provider as Roman Catholic principles including a governments’ moral integrity, social justice, abolition of the death penalty and care for the planet based on environmental, social, governance ratings data.
In doing so the ETF upholds Catholic principles and carbon reduction criteria.
The ETF will be managed by John Beck, senior vice president and director of global fixed income at Franklin Templeton.
Beck has over 33 years of experience in the financial services industry and is a member of the Fixed Income Research and Strategy Team (FIRST).
The ETF will have a total expense ratio of 0.35%.
Caroline Baron, Head of ETF business development (EMEA) at Franklin Templeton said: “With this offering we have created a custom-made index and partnered with an ethical advisor to ensure clients have access to a distinct ETF backed by the scale and resources of Franklin Templeton.
“The combination of Catholic values-based exclusions and a screening process for decarbonisation opportunities from the ETF’s investable universe should subsequently appeal to a broad range of investors seeking to widen their portfolio of sustainable investments.”
The ETF will list on the Deutsche Börse Xetra (XETRA), London Stock Exchange, Borsa Italiana, and will be registered in the UK, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Nordics.
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