Desjardins GAM releases suite of climate change-focused ETFs

Desjardins Global Asset Management released six responsible investment (RI) ETFs that began trading Thursday, with two more on the way for Q4. 

The six that have launched are:

• the Desjardins RI Canada Multifactor – Low CO₂ ETF (DRFC), which has a management fee of 0.5%; 
• the Desjardins RI USA Multifactor – Low CO₂ ETF (DRFU), which has a management fee of 0.5%; 
• the Desjardins RI Developed ex-USA ex-Canada Multifactor – Low CO₂ ETF (DRFD), which has a management fee of 0.6%; 
• the Desjardins RI Canada – Low CO₂ Index ETF (DRMC), which has a management fee of 0.25%; 
• the Desjardins RI USA – Low CO₂ Index ETF (DRMU), which has a management fee of 0.25%; and
• the Desjardins RI Active Canadian Bond – Low CO₂ ETF (DRCU), which has a management fee of 0.35%. 

This suite of funds focuses on “climate change issues, either by significantly reducing the carbon intensity of the portfolio or by avoiding investing in the fossil fuel sector outright,” said Nicolas Richard, CEO of Desjardins GAM, in a release. 

The two funds slated for the fourth quarter are the Desjardins RI Global Multifactor – Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF and the Desjardins RI Emerging Markets Multifactor – Low CO₂ ETF. 

Also on Thursday, Desjardins announced it’s adding three funds to its SocieTerra suite, bringing the total count to 13. The three funds are Emerging Markets Equity (Canada’s first RI fund in that space, the release said), International Equity and Positive Change. 

With the new products, the company will now offer more than 20 RI products. 

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