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Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF VUSD Sustainability

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Sustainability Analysis

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Sustainability Summary

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF may not appeal to sustainability-conscious investors.

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has an average Morningstar Sustainability Rating of 3 globes, indicating that the ESG risk of holdings in its portfolio is similar to that of its peers in the US Equity Large Cap Blend category. Funds with 4 or 5 globes tend to hold securities that are less exposed to ESG risk. Unlike impact, which measures positive environmental and societal outcomes attributable to an investment, ESG risk reflects the degree to which investments could be affected by material ESG issues, including climate change, biodiversity, product safety, community relations, data privacy and security, bribery and corruption, and corporate governance.

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF has an asset-weighted Carbon Risk Score of 7.2, 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.

Vanguard S&P 500 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. The fund exhibits relatively high exposure (10.07%) to companies with high or severe controversies. Companies with controversies may be involved in incidents such as corruption, employee abuses, and environmental incidents that have a negative impact on stakeholders or the environment. Severe and high controversies can have significant financial repercussions, ranging from legal penalties to consumer boycotts. In addition, they can damage the reputation of both companies themselves and their shareholders.

Currently, the fund has 8.7% involvement in fossil fuels, which is roughly in line with 6.8% for its average category peer. Companies are considered involved in fossil fuels if they derive some revenue from thermal coal, oil, and gas.

ESG Commitment Level Asset Manager

 | Low