Aperio Group Announces Beta with Impact -- The Environmental Impact Series

SAUSALITO, Calif., Nov. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Aperio Group, an investment management firm that is leading the next generation of indexing strategies, including Active Tax Indexing, Custom Beta Design, and Socially Responsive Indexing, marks two years since the launch of its Environmental Impact Series.  In response to client demand for public equity portfolios with impact Aperio collaborated with impact investment advisory firm Imprint Capital to create the Environment Impact Series, providing investors with a public equities strategy targeting market beta and positive environmental impact.

The Series emphasizes companies that are deriving revenue from five sustainability themes, including alternative energy, green building, sustainable water, clean technology, and pollution prevention.  Aperio Group sources the Environmental Innovators data from MSCI ESG Research, a leading provider of environmental, social, and governance research, ratings and analysis.

"Socially responsible investors want to do more than just screen their investments; they want their public equity portfolios to have impact," says Paul Solli, Aperio's Founding Partner and Head of Product Strategies. "We are excited to be able to respond to this need with an investment option that brings together the low cost and broad diversification benefits of index investing while at the same time emphasizing companies that earn significant revenue from products and services solving the world's environmental problems. Wealth advisors are seeking solutions for clients seeking environmental impact in their portfolios and the Series provides them with a risk-controlled, low-cost option to do so."

Aperio integrates classic portfolio optimization techniques with socially responsive investing agendas to engineer more "efficient" socially screened, indexed investment portfolios. The Environmental Impact Series is designed to track a broad global, international or domestic equity market and allows clients to set their desired impact score while controlling their portfolio for risk. 

"We partnered with Aperio to develop an environmental solution that met our clients' impact objectives through an equity portfolio optimized to minimize risk relative to standard market indices," said Taylor Jordan, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Imprint Capital. "This approach is core to how we work with investors, not only selecting existing impact investing products but working to co-create new ones. Aperio has helped us build low cost core portfolios with strong environmental attributes for multiple clients. For instance, in partnership with Prime Buchholz, a leading investment consulting firm, we work with The John Merck Fund, a charitable trust that promotes clean energy to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases, to integrate their grant-making with their investment portfolio and effectively align both sides of the balance sheet."

This press release is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a solicitation of investment advisory services or a recommendation to buy or sell any types of investments or securities. The John Merck Fund, Prime Buchholz or Imprint Capital as referenced above should not be considered as an endorsement of Aperio Group or a recommendation to invest in the Series nor should it be inferred that they either approve or disapprove of Aperio Group or its services.

Aperio Group LLC, based in Sausalito, California, is a pioneer in applying enhanced indexing techniques to socially responsive portfolios. As an investment advisor, Aperio works with both taxable and tax-exempt investors, providing customized portfolios that track a broad range of U.S. and international indexes. For more information, visit www.aperiogroup.com .  Form ADV Part 2 contains complete information regarding our services and fees, which can be obtained at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Imprint Capital offers a full suite of advisory services to create and manage high performing impact investing portfolios for foundations, families, and financial institutions. Founded in 2007, Imprint Capital is the longest standing independent advisory firm in the United States dedicated exclusively to impact investing with more than 90 impact investments made across asset classes and sectors as diverse as education, healthcare, food and agriculture, the environment, and the economic development of low wealth communities. Imprint has offices in San Francisco and New York City.

SOURCE Aperio Group