Aura Group Responsible Investment Policy

Our Vision 

Innovate. Sustain. Grow. 

 

Our purpose is to help entrepreneurs, families and institutions build wealth over generations. We aim to embrace technology, forge enduring relationships, and deliver impactful outcomes so we can achieve our clients’ goals.  We are committed and focused in what we do and believe in personal relationships and bespoke services. 

Responsible Investment Process 

ESG Incorporation 

To achieve Our Vision, we believe that it is paramount that we integrate responsible investment into the stewardship of our client investment assets.  This includes incorporating the analysis of environment, social and governance (ESG) indicators, metrics and themes into the assessment of the value of each investment, both prior to investing and on an ongoing basis. 

Engagement 

Aura plays an active role in supporting our portfolio companies and borrowers.  We do this to help our portfolio companies succeed, achieve their objectives, add value to their business and as a critical part of our fiduciary responsibility for client investments.  As part of this active engagement, we like to advocate for value creation that includes ESG and sustainability factors. We truly believe that companies that act responsibly have the best chance of building long-term value. 

From time to time, Aura may invest with portfolio companies that may not meet all the desirable factors of ESG. However, where we believe that the portfolio company can commit to stronger, ESG principles, we may still invest where this aligns with our fiduciary obligations to clients.  Aura will continue to engage with these portfolio companies or industries regarding the impact of ESG issues with the view to helping these companies develop and enhance their ESG position. We believe a sound ESG stance Is important in the interests of long-term value creation, and is therefore important to us and our investors. 

Collaboration 

Due to the nature of our investments, Aura may not be the only major investor or shareholder in a portfolio company.  In such circumstances, we may collaborate with other investors or asset managers in our engagement with portfolio companies, especially where this collaboration can multiply the value added to all stakeholders. This collaboration may involve a focus on ESG matters.  

Sustainability and Climate Change 

The principles outlined in this Responsible Investment Policy demonstrate our commitment to investing sustainably, generating long-term value for our investors while also supporting our portfolio companies. 

Aura Group supports the science behind climate change and will closely monitor the policies and actions taken across the globe towards the commitments to the Paris Agreement and how these impact our current and future investment risks and opportunities. 

Transparency & Reporting 

Aura believes that transparency on ESG issues is paramount, including disclosure between the portfolio companies and Aura and also in our reporting of any risks to our clients and partners. To this end, we engage with Investee companies to source data on their ESG processes and aim to assist them with enhancing their ESG position where necessary.  

Internal Responsibility, Governance and Oversight 

Each investment team within Aura are accountable for ensuring these principles are embedded into their investment philosophy, investment selection and ongoing monitoring processes. Ongoing oversight will also be performed by each Investment Committee. 

Thematic Investment & Screening 

The industries listed below, while not an exhaustive list, demonstrate some of the factors considered in our assessment of portfolio companies prior to investing. Generally, we will not invest where the sector or industry is not in line with our Responsible Investment Policy (RI Policy). 

We also undertake an initial assessment, as part of our upfront due diligence on potential Investee targets, of their ESG maturity, and continue to engage with our portfolio companies on the risks any of these factors may pose to their business models and value creation. We are willing to work together with our investee companies to help them build out their ESG principles as they mature.   

Sectors or Industries that are generally, not in line with our RI Policy 

Ammunition or Weapons 
Military Contracting 
Tobacco Manufacturing 
Modern Slavery or Human Rights Violations Pornography 
Gambling 
Money Laundering, Corruption or Controversies 
Reliance on Fossil Fuels 
Animal Cruelty 

Sectors or Industries that we will generally support and are in line with our RI Policy Technology 

Small and Start Up companies Innovation 
Sustainable Recycling 
Healthcare 
Committed to Work, Health and Safety  Environmental and Climate focused organisations 
Clean Energy 
Sustainable Australian Agriculture 

Principles for responsible investment