VC Partners, under Article 8 of the SFDR, is committed to pursuing an investment strategy aimed at achieving financial returns by integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) elements throughout the entire investment lifecycle. The objective is to ensure maximum respect for the environment, as well as for the rights and dignity of people and communities.
With reference to the investment process, the responsible investment criteria are integrated as follows:
Pre-Investment
All potential investments are subjected to a Scouting and Pre-Screening, Screening, Due Diligence process to ensure that the target companies are in line with the SGR’s ethical standards. In the VC Partners scouting and pre-screening phase, a sector exclusion analysis is carried out aimed at precluding investments in sectors that are particularly critical for ESG sustainability aspects or in any case not in line with ethical standards. In the Screening and Due Diligence phases, analyses are carried out through the collection of primary, secondary and/or public data, aimed at identifying potential risks and opportunities related to ESG criteria attributable to investment opportunities, and verifying compliance with good governance practices. Within individual investment funds, VC Partners may avail itself of the support of an external advisor to carry out these analyses. The results are shared with the Investment Team and the ESG Manager identified by the SGR and constitute one of the elements for evaluating individual investment opportunities.
Holding Period
ESG criteria are also integrated into the process of monitoring and evaluating the performance of portfolio companies. VC Partners ensures that all portfolio companies monitor and evaluate their respective sustainability performance, defining specific monitoring indicators relating to the relevant ESG criteria. The investment Team also undertakes to support portfolio companies in identifying priority areas in the ESG field and in defining improvement, mitigation and/or prevention plans for potential sustainability risks, while encouraging the adoption of governance structures that allow for adequate management of ESG aspects. Finally, portfolio companies are encouraged to provide investment Teams with adequate reporting on ESG issues. To carry out these activities, within individual investment funds, VC Partners may avail itself of the support of an external advisor.
Divestment
During the divestment phase, VC Partners undertakes to make relevant ESG information, and the results achieved by the portfolio companies available to potential buyers. Furthermore, where possible, mission-lock clauses are defined to guarantee the protection of ESG characteristics and objectives even after the divestment of the invested company.
VC Partners is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment supported by the United Nations.
