The Fund aims to generate strong long term total returns by investing primarily in equities and equity related securities of companies that are listed, incorporated or domiciled in Emerging Market Countries or companies that derive a significant proportion of their revenues or profits from Emerging Market Countries operations or have a significant proportion of their assets there.

To provide investors with high capital growth over the medium to long term (3-5 years) by seeking exposure to emerging stock markets worldwide or companies with significant activities in emerging markets, adjusted to take into account certain ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) considerations. 

Benefits of investing in the abrdn Sustainable Emerging Opportunities Fund

Investing in the Fund offers a number of benefits, including:

Mainly direct and indirect investors seeking long term capital growth with some income through investment in emerging market equity securities, while reducing exposure to the long term risks associated with ESG factors and companies which fail to meet recognised sustainability standards while seeking improvement in business practices / approach through targeted engagement. You should consult a licensed financial adviser to obtain financial advice that is tailored to suit your personal circumstances.

About the Fund

The Fund invests primarily in a concentrated portfolio of around 40-70 emerging market listed securities with the potential for capital growth and increased earning potential.

The Fund is a high conviction actively managed emerging market equity portfolio built using a bottom-up approach with little reference to a benchmark. Utilising Aberdeen Standard Investments' proven equity investment philosophy and approach, that is replicated and consistent across all equity investment desks, we seek to identify quality companies trading at reasonable valuations through our own first hand research.

The normal characteristics of the Fund include:

• Low turnover due to our buy and hold' approach - average holding period of around five years.

• Significant divergence from the benchmark.

• Low cash allocation (as the aim is to be fully invested in securities).

Why Aberdeen for Emerging Markets?

1. Since 1987 Aberdeen has been investing in emerging markets; we have invested in a variety of market conditions and stages of the economic cycle.
   
2. Our team approach means investment decisions are made collectively - we don't believe in star managers.
   
3. A network of global offices means our emerging market investment professionals have local knowledge and easy access to company management.
   
4. We are long-term investors and we aim to know each and every company inside out.

How we invest your money

Our emerging markets equities managers, located in Sao Paulo, London, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, seek to identify and invest in good quality emerging markets equities.

Quality is chiefly an evaluation of a company's management, balance sheet and business model.

Only those companies which pass our rigorous quality screen are assessed for value. We see risk in terms of investing in a poor quality company, or overpaying for a good one, and do not view risk in benchmark relative terms.

We therefore downplay benchmarks in portfolio construction since these provide little indication of future performance. We are comfortable not holding companies if they do not satisfy our disciplined quality and valuation criteria, regardless of their benchmark weight. We never invest in a company without first meeting the management.

Mix of asset classes*

• 90-100% emerging market equity securities

• 0-10% Cash

The Fund is generally fully invested in emerging market equity securities.

* These are indicative asset allocation ranges for the Fund. If market movements, investments into or withdrawals from the Fund, or changes in the nature of an investment, or a change in the fund investment strategy, cause the Fund to move outside these indicative ranges, or a limit set out in this PDS, this will be addressed by us as soon as reasonably practicable.