Financial and ESG Research

Schelcher Prince Gestion is an asset manager and part of Arkéa Investment Services. This multi-boutique model enables the affiliated companies to benefit from specialist expertise in domains such as sales and marketing, but also financial analysis and ESG (Environment, Social, Governance).

The group’s considerable expertise underpins all of the investment strategies followed by Federal Finance Gestion and Schelcher Prince Gestion, which began selling SRI funds in the 2000s and are already well-positioned from an extra-financial viewpoint.

Our ESG analysis covers the three cornerstones – Environmental, Social and Governance criteria – and is an integral part of our portfolio construction and management.

This group-wide responsible investing approach is reflected in the implementation of dedicated policies and supported by an ESG Committee that has been set up within Arkéa Investment Services. This Committee brings together all of the group’s investment firms with the aim of sharing responsible investing best practices and jointly managing projects.

Research – comprising financial and ESG analysis – is conducted by dedicated teams for the benefit of all investment managers. It is organised per sector and enhanced by in-house and third-party interaction with market counterparties and issuers.

COMBINING FINANCIAL ANALYSIS AND ESG

As asset managers, our investment decisions are made with a view to optimising the risk-return ratio. To better understand the risks involved in each investment, we analyse them from both a financial and ESG standpoint.

Our dual approach entails assessing the issuer’s positioning within its sector and analysing its strengths and weaknesses in light of the sector’s main challenges. We then carry out a 3–5 year cash-flow projection to shed light on the issuer’s capacity to meet its debt maturities.

TAKING ACCOUNT OF ESG CRITERIA

The ESG aspect of our approach takes into account Environmental, Social and Governance criteria, and the weight given to each reflects the specific challenges of the sectors to which the companies belong.

Nonetheless, governance systematically has a heavier weighting than the other criteria. As a responsible investor, our conviction is that governance is a mainstay that feeds through to all other areas of a company. We therefore assess governance quality through the various bodies and policies in place (compensation, CSR, ethics, etc.).

 

Our research combines both financial and ESG analysis for which we have developed our own in-house models. This enables us to evaluate issuers that are not rated by the agencies.

Our two-step process involves: 

  • Issuer analysis
  • Interaction with company executives

 

Process ESG EN

Our commitments - PRI SIGNATORY

By signing the PRI, Schelcher Prince Gestion has committed to complying with the UN’s six principles:

  1. Incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.
  2. Be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.
  3. Seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.
  4. Promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.
  5. Work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.
  6. Report individually on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.


 

Our conviction is that combining ESG criteria and financial analysis enhances performance.

 

Carole Imbert
Head of financial and ESG research