Rathbones manages all charity investment portfolios on an individual, segregated basis in line with a strategy that is agreed upon with each charity.
We look after the day-to-day management of each portfolio that is with us, on a discretionary basis, taking responsibility for the decision to buy and sell individual investments. This contrasts with the use of common investment funds – an approach taken by some investment managers, particularly for smaller charities.
Charities, like commercial organisations, face pressure to deliver on their stated aims. The income that your investments generate can be crucial. Maintaining the right balance between preserving your capital and generating sufficient income and, of course, dealing with the unexpected, is often the key.
Your investment solutions will need to adjust to the changing circumstances of your charity, whether they are gradual or more unexpected (see Your portfolio).
If appointed, we will construct an investment strategy with you, which will include performance measurement, the selection of an agreed benchmark, appropriate time horizons and your attitude to risk. From this we can develop an outline asset allocation.
Your portfolio will reflect your needs and we do not artificially restrict the investment universe from which we select investments. The full range of asset classes will potentially be employed from direct equities and fixed income to, where appropriate, alternative investments such as funds of hedge funds.
Your portfolio will be able to accommodate any ethical concerns you have and will benefit from our ability to include investment funds and products, where suitable, from a range of third party institutions.
This ability to select investments on a best-of-breed basis is something we feel strongly about. Rathbones is an independent organisation and our investment managers are free to make decisions based on what they think is the best investment solution for you.
That freedom of decision making should be seen against the background of the Rathbone Investment Process.