Research

An extremely important aspect of our activities, ensuring we continue to enhance our services and contribute to the advancement of the industry.

P1’s research and thought leadership allow us to continually improve our investment solutions for the benefit of you and your clients. Our research predominantly covers ethical investment, stress-testing and portfolio construction.

 

We conduct both qualitative and quantitative investment research making sure our investment solutions are leading the way. Our research is written for a broad audience from trustees and charities to financial advisers and wealth managers. The calibre of our research permits it to be published in leading industry titles across financial services and in peer-reviewed academic journals, again cementing our work as genuinely groundbreaking.

Ethical Oversight Committee

P1 has taken the unusual step of appointing an external ethical oversight committee to guide its position on ethical investment topics and policies. We are one of only a handful of wealth managers and fund houses in the UK to adopt external monitoring of this kind.

The Ethical Oversight Committee reviews ethical issues, and topics posed to them by the investment team to ensure that every fund P1 selects has robust ethical investment policies.  The Committee meets regularly, engages on ethical issues, raises difficult questions and audits our process.

The Ethical Oversight Committee, combined with P1’s proprietary research, ensures that P1 selects funds that meet the highest ethical standards.  It also helps us to avoid funds that are “greenwashed”, merely seeking an ethical label for marketing purposes.

Learn more about the committee

HEAD OF ETHICAL INVESTMENT

Introducing Dr Quintin Rayer

As our Head of Research & Ethical Investing, Quintin is the mastermind of our exhaustive due diligence process. He has extensive experience in quantitative fund and risk analysis and has worked for some of the biggest names in financial services. He was also the second person in the UK to earn the Sustainable Investment Professional Certification (SIPC). Besides a wealth of qualifications, Quintin has an Atmospheric Physics Doctorate from Oxford University and has applied computational models he learnt in engineering to areas of investment.

We have a fantastic supporting cast too

We have a supporting cast of research and analysis experts – each of whom holds formal qualifications in investment management and averages 12 years of investment experience. Because we care about the authenticity of our investment portfolios, we have voluntarily appointed an external ethical oversight committee to guide our ethical policies. And we are one of the only discretionary fund managers in the country to have done so. When we say ethical, we mean ethical.

Meet the P1 Team

Our Research

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Ethical Investment

In our research, we look to raise awareness about the fundamental importance of ethical investment and increase familiarity with concepts and phrases such as ‘sustainable investment’, and ‘Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance’ (ESG). We also consider the various approaches used for investing ethically. At P1 investment we work hard to reflect these values in our everyday culture.

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Stress-testing portfolios

Often, conventional risk measures do not fully capture all risks inherent in a portfolio, particularly under difficult market conditions.  Portfolio stress testing helps identify and quantify risks within a portfolio and can reassure an investor as to how their portfolio might respond to specific market outcomes or other concerns.

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Portfolio Construction

Portfolio Construction theory requires critical thought in the context of the theory of investment as applied to the management of private client funds, the tailoring of a portfolio to clients’ needs and much more.  It covers topics, including Asset Classes, Asset Allocation,  Modern Portfolio Theory, Capital Asset Pricing, Ethical Investing and Behavioral Finance.

We provide ethical and sustainable investment consultancy for those needing it.

Our research has featured in

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Net-zero is only meaningful emissions target for ESG funds

Fund managers need to push companies much harder to achieve net-zero goals, but investors do have access to realistic and…

Zero hours work: facing the ethical challenge

How ethical investors can show leadership by promoting a corporate social conscience. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of…

Zeroing in on ethical working contracts

COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerability of millions of UK workers employed on zero-hours contracts. For them, self-isolation means a sudden…

Ethical investing and the plastics pollution plague

The popular BBC One television series Blue Planet II typifies media coverage drawing attention to the environmental damage caused by…

Climate Liability: Time to Settle up?

Environmentally focused investors often consider climate risks. However, potential liabilities for extreme weather event damages caused by carbon-intensive sector emissions…

Investment portfolio stress-testing

Recent events have demonstrated to advisers, clients, and wealth managers that risk remains ever-present. Beyond the challenges and implications of…

The price of conscience: analysing ethical out-performance

Introduction Earlier articles asked why ethical investment matters [1], introduced sustainable (environmental, social and governance, or ESG) investing [2]; or…

Global Warming and Extreme Weather Investment Risks

Environmentally focused investors often consider climate risks; however, potential liabilities for damages from extreme weather events due to emissions from…

Global warming and extreme weather investment risks

Environmentally focused investors often consider climate risks. However, potential liabilities for damages…

Engagement Needs to be Supported with a “Credible Threat” of Divestment

Managers must use a ‘credible threat’ of divestment to engage boards. In a world of climate crisis, proper engagement and…

Ethical Investing and Performance: The Price of Conscience

How might ethical investments compare with conventional counterparts? Could they tend to underperform? Particularly as ‘ethical’ or ‘green’ labels might…

The Rules of Engagement

Quintin Rayer offers tips for ethical investors that want to strengthen their engagement with companies. Ethical and sustainable investors focus…