This fund has above-average exposure to ESG risk relative to its peers in the Energy Sector Equity category, earning it the second-lowest Morningstar Sustainability Rating of 2 globes. Funds with 4 or 5 globes tend to hold securities that are less exposed to ESG risk. ESG risk provides investors with a signal that reflects to what degree their investments are exposed to risks related to material ESG issues, including climate change, biodiversity, product safety, community relations, data privacy and security, bribery and corruption, and corporate governance, that are not sufficiently managed. ESG risk differs from impact, which is about seeking positive environmental and social outcomes.
One potential issue for a sustainability-focused investor is that Invesco Energy Fund doesn’t have an ESG-focused mandate. Funds with an ESG-focused mandate are more likely to align with the expectations of an investor who cares about sustainability issues. One area to watch is the fund's high carbon risk exposure, as indicated by its Carbon Risk Score of 37.5, suggesting that the portfolio is positioned to fare poorly in the transition to a low-carbon economy. This score represents the asset-weighted carbon risk score of the portfolio holdings, averaged over the trailing 12 months. Companies with high risk classification will likely be disadvantaged in the transition to net zero, while those that are less exposed to climate risks and enable the transition by offering carbon solutions may fare better. Currently, the fund has 95.0% involvement in fossil fuels, which is high in both absolute and relative terms. The fossil fuel involvement of funds in the same Equity Energy category averages 87.0%. Companies are considered involved in fossil fuels if they derive at least 5% of their revenue from thermal coal, oil, and gas.
The fund exhibits moderate exposure (8.97%) 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.