In a first for the Australian funds management industry, Plato Investment Management has launched a global equities fund, managed with a net zero carbon footprint without the use of costly carbon credits.

In a first for the Australian funds management industry, Plato Investment Management has launched a global equities fund, managed with a net zero carbon footprint without the use of costly carbon credits.

The Plato Global Net Zero Hedge Fund aims to outperform the MSCI World Index, while maintaining a net zero carbon exposure using the calculation methodology recommended by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

The Fund is an active extension long/short strategy that targets high carbon emitting listed companies via short positions, while taking long positions in companies with better than average carbon footprints.

Dr Don Hamson, Managing Director of Plato Investment Management, said the Fund has been launched to offer a ‘net zero now’ option for investment portfolios.

The Plato Global Net Zero Hedge Fund’s Co-Portfolio Managers are Dr David Allen Plato and Charles Lowe.

Dr Allen, who is also Plato Investment Management’s Head of Long/Short Strategies, said the strategy gains a unique edge from Plato’s established propriety quantitative systems, along with the integration of hundreds of new ESG data points.