Deutsche Asset Management will launch an Australian-domiciled environmental, social and governance fixed income fund later this year.

The fund will hold as many as 80 securities. It will rate securities according to 160 ESG factors.

“Running money along those lines makes sense,” says Andrew Canobi,   portfolio manager, Australian fixed income at Deutsche, who adds the firm wants to raise the profile of ESG investing.

The proposed fund will be a wholesale pooled trust that will receive an investment from Deutsche. It will be measured against a domestic fixed income benchmark.

The ESG fixed income fund was announced August 26 at Deutsche’s Melbourne conference.