UBS Launches Global Gender Equality ETF

Robbie Lawther

11 January 2018

The world’s largest wealth manager has launched the Global Gender Equality UCITS ETF, as part of its growing range of impact investment opportunities for its clients.

The exchange-traded fund will invest in the Solactive Equileap Global Gender Equality 100 Leaders Index, an index of 100 global companies chosen for having a strong record in gender diversity and sustainability, the firm said in a statement.

The companies were selected based on 19 diversity criteria, including equal compensation and work-life balance, transparency and accountability, gender balance, and sustainability policies. The index includes the 30 highest rated US stocks, yet caps single issuers at three per cent of the ETF's assets.

The ETF is a joint collaboration between UBS Asset Management and UBS Wealth Management and is part of UBS's commitment to sustainable and impact investing. UBS will dedicate five per cent of management fees received in relation to the ETF, to philanthropic projects supporting the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 5 via the UBS Optimus Foundation.

Through its choice of index, the ETF also contributes to Equileap, a social enterprise committed to accelerating progress towards gender equality in the workplace, using the power of investments, knowledge and donations.

“In 2017 we launched a five-year plan to significantly scale our efforts for female clients and make the wealth management industry work better for women,” said Olga Miler, managing director at UBS Wealth Management. “This ETF is another example of how we are doing that. Gender equality is important to our clients and our business. The combination of broad gender equality criteria, sustainability and donation make this ETF a leap step forward in connecting capital to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 5 – achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls."

In October, this publication interviewed Miler, UBS Unique's global programme architect, to discuss the firm's plan to increase financial confidence of one million women.