CT (Lux) European Social Bond ZE EUR

The Fund aims to provide income with the potential to grow the amount you invested over the medium term by investing in bonds that are considered to support or fund socially beneficial activities and development mainly in Europe (including the UK).

To achieve this objective, the Fund invests at least 90% of its net assets in bonds (which are similar to a loan and pay a fixed or variable interest rate) issued by companies, governments, voluntary organisations and/or charities. The Fund will mainly invest in investment grade bonds but may invest up to 10% of its net assets in below investment grade bonds. Bonds rated as investment grade, as defined by international agencies that provide such ratings, are considered safer than lower rated bonds but typically pay a lower income.

The Fund may use derivatives (complex instruments) for hedging purposes and may also invest in asset classes and instruments different from those stated above.

The fund manager only selects bonds that are rated as social investments under the Fund’s Social Rating Methodology, and ensures that the issuers of these bonds follow good governance practices. The social outcomes of the investments are reviewed by a Social Advisory Panel (SAP). The SAP approves a social impact report which is prepared annually and made available to investors.

The Fund excludes issuers that derive certain levels of revenue from industries or activities where the fund manager considers that they offer minimal social benefits or have a high risk of negative outcomes. However, an investment may be made in specific use of proceeds bonds (such as green, social or sustainability bonds) from an issuer that would otherwise be excluded under the criteria above. It also excludes issuers determined to have breached international standards and principles.

The fund manager engages with issuers to better understand and positively influence their social value. Columbia Threadneedle Investments is a signatory to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative and has committed to an ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner for a range of assets, including the Fund. The fund manager uses its proactive engagement to assist with progressing this and may disinvest from those not meeting the minimum standards.

The Fund is not managed in reference to a benchmark. The ICE BofA Euro Non-Sovereign Index (50%) and ICE BofA Euro Corporate Euroland Issuers Index (50%) is used as a point of comparison against which the Fund’s financial performance may be compared. The Fund is not subject to any constraints in relation to the comparator index, and as a result of the application of the Social Rating Methodology, is expected to exhibit significant deviation from the index.

Further information on the Fund’s investment guidelines and its sustainable investment objective is available in the Social Investment Guidelines and the SFDR RTS Annex of the Prospectus, both available at www.columbiathreadneedle.com. The Fund is considered to fall within the scope of Article 9 of SFDR.