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Vanguard Wellesley® Income Admiral™ VWIAX Sustainability

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Sustainability Analysis

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Sustainability Summary

Vanguard Wellesley ® Income Fund may not appeal to sustainability-conscious investors.

This fund has above-average exposure to ESG risk relative to its peers in the Cautious Allocation 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 Vanguard Wellesley® Income 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. Currently, the fund has 16.5% involvement in fossil fuels, surpassing 11.2% for the average peer in its category. Companies are considered involved in fossil fuels if they derive some revenue from thermal coal, oil, and gas. The fund has relatively high exposure (9.08%) 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.

Vanguard Wellesley® Income Fund has an asset-weighted Carbon Risk Score of 9.7, 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.

ESG Commitment Level Asset Manager

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