This fund has the second-lowest Morningstar Sustainability Rating of 2 globes, indicating it holds securities with relatively high ESG risk compared to that of its peers in the Europe Fixed Income category. Funds with 4 or 5 globes tend to hold securities that are less exposed to ESG risk. ESG risk measures the degree to which material environmental, social, and governance issues, such as climate change, biodiversity, human capital, as well as bribery and corruption, could affect valuations. ESG risk differs from impact, which is about driving positive environmental and social outcomes for society’s benefit.
iShares Italy Govt Bond ETF is not classified by its manager as either an Article 8 or Article 9 fund under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. Article 8 and Article 9 funds promote environmental or sustainable characteristics or have a sustainable investment strategy, respectively, and hence would have a higher probability to drive positive ESG outcomes.
iShares Italy Govt Bond ETF has an asset-weighted Carbon Risk Score of 5.3, indicating that its companies have low exposure to carbon-related risks. These are risks associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy such as increased regulation, changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and stranded assets. Currently, the fund's involvement in fossil fuels is negligible, and compares favorably with 14.7% for its average peer.
The fund exhibits moderate exposure (3.30%) to companies with high or severe controversies. Controversies are incidents that have a negative impact on stakeholders or the environment, which create some degree of financial risk for the company. Examples of types of controversies include bribery and corruption scandals, workplace discrimination and environmental incidents. Severe and high controversies can have significant financial repercussions, ranging from legal penalties to consumer boycotts. Such controversies can also damage the reputation of both companies themselves and their shareholders.