Investing in Sustainability

Introduction Meet the Investment Team Calamos Sustainable Equity Team Philosophy Calamos on ESG Calamos Sustainable Equity Strategies Latest Insights

A Decades-long Headstart

The Calamos Sustainable Equity capability originated more than 30 years ago in Portland, Oregon when Tony Tursich and Jim Madden teamed up at a firm called Portfolio 21. It was among the very first in the country to identify environmental risk and opportunity as a difference-maker. This was before most American companies understood its impact, before the United Nations adopted principles for responsible investment and at a time when the discipline was dismissed by many.

“What you don't invest in is just as important as what you do invest in.”

Tony and Jim were among the first to develop and apply their own non-financial sustainable criteria to the business of surfacing the world’s best companies, producing long-term performance results compelling enough to turn naysayers into believers. In the decades since, the rest of the industry has gradually come to embrace ESG as an investment consideration.

As of August 2021, the expertise gained in this decades-long headstart at sustainable investing has joined Calamos Investments. Trailblazers Tursich and Madden are now part of the Investment Team, and Calamos has acquired the composite track records of sustainable investment strategies in U.S., international and global equities. Additional offerings are planned.

Now Available as SMAs

U.S., international and global sustainable equities strategies are now available.

Investment professionals, contact your Calamos Investment Consultant 888-571-2567 or email caminfo@calamos.com to learn more.

Meet the Investment Team

Environmental, Social, and Governance investing pioneers Tony Tursich and Jim Madden in August joined Calamos to lead the development of focused sustainable investment products. Tursich and Madden co-managed portfolios until 2018, when Tursich founded Pearl Impact Capital LLC (PIC), an investment boutique offering sustainable investment strategies in U.S., international and global equities. PIC, including its composite track records, are now available as Calamos Sustainable Equity Strategies.

Q&A

Read the Q&A that elaborates on the pair's backstory, the concurrent evolution of ESG as an investment discipline, and how they've come to join forces with Calamos.

Tony Tursich

Jim Madden

Philosophy

We believe companies with strong ESG characteristics are better equipped to adapt to change, to evolve, and to avoid unnecessary liabilities contributing to investor return potential and risk reduction—integrating ESG analysis with traditional financial analysis produces better financial and societal results.
The strategies seek to achieve above-average returns with lower volatility by focusing on companies that generate higher returns on capital, possess better growth prospects, and hold sustainable competitive advantages over their peers.
We believe a well diversified portfolio of high-quality stocks can produce above-average market returns with lower volatility over the long term.

Calamos on ESG

Calamos Investments began formally integrating ESG into our investment processes in 2017, and by late 2018, ESG research was integrated across our global and international equity strategies and for the Calamos Convertible Fund.

In August 2018, Calamos Investments LLC signed the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Principles”), pledging to adopt and implement the Principles, where consistent with our fiduciary responsibilities. As a signatory, we committed to evaluate the effectiveness and improve the content of the Principles over time to better align our investment activities with the broader interests of society. In 2019, we fortified our approach to ESG with the creation of the Calamos ESG Charter. Since, the tenets of the Calamos ESG Charter have been enhanced and have evolved into the Calamos ESG Firmwide Policy Statement (the “Calamos ESG Policy”).

Calamos Sustainable Equities Strategies

Calamos International Sustainable Equities Strategy

Employs an integrated, fundamental and proprietary ESG screening process
Benchmarked to the MSCI ACWI ex US Index
Evaluates and selects what we deem are the highest-quality, ESG-adherent opportunities outside the United States
In developed and developing economies as well as across market capitalizations

Calamos Global Sustainable Equities Strategy

Employs an integrated, fundamental and proprietary ESG screening process
Benchmarked to the MSCI ACWI Index
Evaluates and selects what we deem are the highest-quality, ESG-adherent growth opportunities throughout the world
In developed and developing economies as well as across market capitalizations

Calamos U.S. Sustainable Equities Strategy

Employs an integrated, fundamental and proprietary ESG screening process
Benchmarked to the S&P 500 Index
Evaluates and selects what we deem are the highest-quality, ESG-adherent growth opportunities throughout the United States
And across market capitalizations

Latest Insights

ESG Investing in China: The Calamos Sustainable Equity Team Approach

China’s ESG initiatives include many that are in line with those of the West and others that are unique to China. Chinese companies that understand the importance of ESG risks and opportunities can take advantage of “first-mover” competitive advantages, explains Co-Portfolio Manager Tony Tursich.

Download

Environmental Investing: Risk and Opportunity

This September 2021 whitepaper discusses climate change as an investment risk and the appropriate corporate response to mitigate the risk and take advantage of environmental opportunities to protect and enhance shareholder capital.