Rapid growth of SRI in Europe and the USA, is now being reflected by SRI activity in Asia. Total money under management in Asia is less than US$2.5bn, but is likely to increase substantially. For a detailed description of Asian funds please see below.

FUNDS IN ASIA AND PACIFIC RIM

Apart from Australia, which is now a fully-fledged SRI market in its own right, Japan is the most developed SRI market in Asia ex-Japan. Although the first SRI-related fund was launched in Japan less than three years ago, there are now 11 fund options for a total of almost US$1 billion at current market valuations. There are six domestic eco-funds, two international eco-funds, one domestic SRI fund and two international SRI funds. The Daichi Life and Nikko Eco Funds were the first to be launched in 1999. The Nikko Fund was immensely popular in the retail community and far exceeded its capital raising expectations. The popularity of the Nikko Eco Fund spurred other fund providers to set up eco funds and more recently Nikko has made a further pioneering move by establishing a Global Sustainability fund that takes into consideration environmental and social factors.

After Japan, Hong Kong has the most SRI fund options. There is still a chronic lack of Asian funds invested in Asia, but perhaps the recent launch of global SRI funds in Hong Kong by some of the large international SRI players is an indication that fund managers are starting to recognise the opportunity for SRI in Asia. There are currently six global SRI fund options for sale in Hong Kong. Henderson Global investors launched their Horizon Global Sustainable Investments Fund in Hong Kong at the end of last year and Friends Provident launched their Global Portfolio, part of their stewardship fund range with an engagement overlay in Hong Kong in July of this year. Quick to realise the local opportunity, Kingsway Fund Management, an ASrIA member, has adopted screening policies as part of their investment strategy, and currently provides the only SRI pension option, as part of the Mandatory Provident Fund scheme in Hong Kong. In 2002, Kingsway moved beyond passive screening and launched a Far East excluding Japan equity fund using a proactive SRI methodology.

Outside Hong Kong and Japan, there are few SRI options. In Singapore there is still only one fund option registered. At the end of 1999, Unifem and United Overseas Bank (UOB) jointly launched the United Global Unifem Singapore Fund targeted at women and invested in companies that show a commitment to the empowerment of women. There is one global eco fund for sale in Taiwan but limited marketing so far means that awareness is low. In Malaysia there are thirteen Islamic funds based on Syariah finance principles which exclude certain activities and have strict policies with regard to usury, the charging of interest rates. Henderson Global Investors have an Asian SRI fund which is part of the NPI Global Care range. Launched in 1998, it is run out of London and boasts a credible 23% outperformance of the benchmark since inception in 1998.

For more specific details of SRI in the region, please look at the fund providers list for info on funds in the region and please look at the country pages, listed in the drop down menu above, for relevant info on countries. Country information will be continually updated as we receive fresh news and data from around the region.

Please alert us to SRI regional news and events webmaster@asria.org