When you invest in our SRI – Balanced option, you can be confident that your super or pension is not being invested in any of the following:
Fossil fuels
Companies that own reserves, or explore, mine, extract, produce, refine or generate energy from fossil fuels, as well as companies that receive revenue from servicing these sectors through equipment services, pipeline transport or distribution.
Controversial weapons
Companies involved in the development, production, maintenance or sale of controversial weapons (including cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, depleted uranium, biological weapons, chemical weapons, blinding laser weapons, non-detectable fragment weapons, incendiary weapons and nuclear weapons). This includes companies directly involved, as well as prime contractors, key subcontractors and suppliers of key components. Data is supplied by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS).
For-profit detention
Companies that derive more than 5% of their revenue from for-profit detention, such as prisons and immigration detention. Data is supplied by ISS.
A zero-materiality threshold is applied, but dedicated renewable energy generators with backup fossil fuel sources (less than 5%) may remain investible. Data is supplied by MSCI and ISS.
Gambling
Companies that derive more than 5% of their revenue from gambling. Data is supplied by MSCI.
Human rights or labour rights breaches
Companies that breach the United Nations Global Compact or International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Core Conventions. Data is supplied by MSCI.
Live animal export
Companies involved in the export of live animals for the purpose of slaughter, husbandry and breeding, including specialised transport companies. Data is supplied by ISS.
Predatory lending
Companies involved in predatory lending, including unfair or deceptive products, excessive interest rates, misleading marketing, unnecessary costs and hidden fees, or targeting minority, low-income or elderly consumers. Data is supplied by ISS.
Tobacco
Companies that manufacture tobacco products, such as cigars, blunts, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, inhalers, beedis, kreteks, smokeless tobacco, snuff, snus, dissolvable and chewing tobacco. This also includes companies that grow or process raw tobacco leaves. Data is supplied by MSCI.
Uncertified palm oil
Companies involved in growing, processing or using palm oil that derive more than 10% of their revenue from these activities and where less than 50% of the palm oil is Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified. Data is supplied by ISS.
Very poor environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies and systems
Companies with an MSCI ESG rating of B or CCC.
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At a glance (Pension)
* Investment costs are based on estimated and actual information from the previous financial year. The costs payable in future years may be higher or lower. Administration and other fees also apply. For a full breakdown of fees and costs, see the Pension Guide.
^ Investment return over 10 years to 31 October 2023, net of investment fees and costs. Administration and other costs apply. Returns won’t display for options younger than 10 years. See investment returns page for returns over all available periods. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
A positive impact
Our SRI – Balanced investment option seeks to create a positive impact while earning strong long-term returns for your retirement. Your money is invested in companies and assets that contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It seeks to avoid investing in fossil fuels, companies that breach human rights or labour rights, uncertified palm oil, tobacco, and some other sectors.
A diversified portfolio
SRI – Balanced is a pre-mixed option, meaning it invests in different types of assets, including fixed interest, cash, listed equities, property, infrastructure, private equity and alternatives.
Driving innovation
Hostplus is one of the largest Australian investors in venture capital. Choosing the SRI – Balanced option means you’re investing in companies that are developing tomorrow’s solutions to today’s challenges.
Who is SRI – Balanced suitable for?
Members with a five years–plus investment time frame who are seeking a diversified, pre-mixed investment option with a socially responsible investment style.
The SRI Balanced option has been designed for members specifically seeking to avoid exposure to fossil fuels, companies that breach human rights or labour rights, uncertified palm oil, tobacco and other particular industries, while investing in assets that contribute to sustainable outcomes. Compared to our Balanced option, SRI Balanced has a similar split between assets with growth and defensive characteristics.
Our
investments
We invest in
- Alternative foods
- Clean water
- Community infrastructure
- Green buildings
- Green bonds
- Healthcare and medical solutions
- Renewable energy
We avoid where possible
- Fossil fuels
- Controversial weapons
- For-profit detention
- Gambling
- Human rights or labour rights breaches
- Live animal export
- Predatory lending
- Tobacco production
- Uncertified palm oil
- Very poor ESG policies and systems
A positive approach
to investment
We’re a super fund that seeks to create a positive impact. If you invest in the SRI Balanced option, we’ll invest your money into projects and assets that aim to enhance our lives – and provide you with the future you deserve. That’s a plus.
Investments with impact
Hostplus is one of Australia’s largest impact investors. This means we invest in projects and companies that both drive environmental or social impact and aim to provide financial returns. We support projects ranging from nation-building infrastructure to innovative environmental solutions in both emerging and developed markets.
Our target
asset mix
| Asset class | Benchmark | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Australian shares | 24% | 10–50% |
| International shares (developed markets) | 26% | 10–50% |
| International shares (emerging markets) | 0% | 0–20% |
| Property | 10% | 0–30% |
| Infrastructure | 9% | 0–30% |
| Private equity | 8% | 0–30% |
| Credit | 0% | 0–20% |
| Alternatives | 10% | 0–30% |
| Diversified fixed interest | 8% | 0–30% |
| Cash | 5% | 0–20% |
Want to learn
more about SRI – Balanced?
We believe that investing sustainably shouldn’t cost you more. The underlying SRI – Balanced investment costs are actually lower than our Balanced option.
No. Choose to invest as little or as much of your super or pension in the SRI – Balanced option as you like. You can invest in multiple options at the same time and can switch between our investment options for free.
To develop our investment approach for the SRI – Balanced option, we partnered with specialist external investment managers and sourced sustainable investment data from external providers.
Australian and international shares
We invest in listed Australian and international (developed market) share portfolios via an investment manager. The manager excludes the relevant investments, then seeks to maximise the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) score of the portfolio. Data is supplied by ISS.
Cash
We invest in cash products that are managed by investment managers with responsible investment processes. We apply the relevant exclusions listed above when selecting products for inclusion in this option.
Diversified fixed interest
We invest in passively managed Australian and global bond ESG funds whose processes most closely match our exclusions.
The investment manager applies rules-based exclusions to non-government securities associated with fossil fuels, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, adult entertainment, genetically modified organisms, military weapons, civilian firearms and nuclear power. For the global bond funds, treasury and government-related issuers with an MSCI ESG government rating below ‘BB’ are also excluded. Definitions for exclusions are based on the Bloomberg Barclays Index exclusion methodology.
Infrastructure
We invest in infrastructure assets including renewable energy, water utilities and social infrastructure. We apply the relevant exclusions listed above when selecting assets for inclusion in this option.
Private equity
We invest in a diversified mix of funds that have been identified as including companies that contribute towards achieving one or more SDG, or are managed by an investment manager that has stronger-than-average responsible investment processes relative to peers within the same asset class. We apply the relevant exclusions listed above when selecting funds for inclusion in this option.
Property
We invest in diversified property funds that have been identified as leaders at the overall, regional or strategy level by their Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) score and ranking. We apply the relevant exclusions listed above when selecting funds for inclusion in this option.
1. The Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) – Balanced option was introduced on 28 March 2017. Administration and other fees also apply. For a full breakdown of fees and costs, see the Pension Guide. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and should never be the sole factor considered when selecting a superannuation fund.