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Vanguard European Stock Admiral VEUSX Sustainability

| Medalist Rating as of | See Vanguard Investment Hub

Sustainability Analysis

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Sustainability Summary

Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF may not appeal to sustainability-conscious investors.

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 Equity Large Cap 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.

One potential issue for a sustainability-focused investor is that Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF 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.

Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF has an asset-weighted Carbon Risk Score of 7.8, 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 has 10.7% involvement in fossil fuels, which is roughly in line with 10.0% for its average category peer. Companies are considered involved in fossil fuels if they derive some revenue from thermal coal, oil, and gas. The fund has a modest level of exposure (6.47%) to companies with high or severe controversies. Companies with controversies are involved in incidents such as corruption, employee abuses, and that pose some degree of business risks to the company. Severe and high controversies can have significant financial repercussions, ranging from legal penalties to consumer boycotts. In addition, they controversies can damage the reputation of both companies themselves and their shareholders.

ESG Commitment Level Asset Manager

 | Low