OneAmerica Offers ESG Fixed-Income Funds as Investing Option

OneAmerica^® has added 12 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investment offerings to its Group Annuity platform, after an increasing interest in ESG investing over the last six months.

“For some, the value of an investment is no longer just about returns, but about returns that are achieved in concert with making a positive impact on society and the world at large,” said Sandy McCarthy, president of OneAmerica retirement services. “ESG indexes can achieve these dual ideals, because as Morningstar research shows, they favor companies with healthier balance sheets, stronger competitive advantages, and lower volatility than their mainstream counterparts.”

Between 2016 and 2018, sustainable, responsible, and impact investing grew at a more than 38 percent rate, rising from $8.7 trillion in 2016 to $12 trillion in 2018, according to the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment.

Investment professionals use standard criteria to evaluate potential investments to determine if they qualify as an ESG investment option. These criteria include:

• Environmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature
• Social criteria examine how a company manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates
• Governance deals with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls and shareholder rights

“We provide a full range of investment options, and ESG investing is appealing to a segment of the retirement plan participant community who want to invest in things they believe in to make a positive impact on society and the world at large beyond just returns,” said Terry Burns*, managing director, products & investments, Retirement Services. “To these investors there are investment options out there that think the way they think. Our broad menu of ESG funds satisfies that desire.”

ESG funds were added during the second and third quarters. Adding these investment options to the group annuity platform means they are now fully available to OneAmerica clients.

A retirement plan sponsor can talk to their retirement plan advisor if they have any questions.

OneAmerica is the marketing name for the companies of OneAmerica.

Products issued and underwritten by American United Life Insurance Company® (AUL), a OneAmerica company. Administrative and recordkeeping services provided by McCready and Keene, Inc. or OneAmerica Retirement Services LLC, companies of OneAmerica which are not broker/dealers or investment advisors. Provided content is for overview and informational purposes only and is not intended and should not be relied upon as individualized tax, legal, fiduciary, or investment advice.

Variable products are sold by prospectus. Both the product prospectus and underlying fund prospectuses can be obtained from your investment professional or by writing to One American Square, Indianapolis, IN 46282, 1-800-249-6269. Before investing, carefully consider the fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. The product prospectus and underlying fund prospectus contain this and other important information. Read the prospectuses carefully before investing.

Investing involves risk including potential loss of principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Funds that invest in a concentrated sector or focus on a relatively small number of securities may be subject to greater volatility than a more diversified investment.

*Registered Representative of and securities offered through OneAmerica Securities, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA, SIPC.

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About OneAmerica^®

A national provider in the insurance and financial services marketplace for more than 140 years, the companies of OneAmerica help customers build and protect their financial futures. OneAmerica offers a variety of products and services to serve the financial needs of their policyholders and customers. These products include retirement plan products and recordkeeping services, individual life insurance, annuities, asset-based long-term care solutions and employee benefit plan products. Products are issued and underwritten by the companies of OneAmerica and distributed through a nationwide network of employees, agents, brokers and other sources who are committed to providing value to our customers. To learn more about our products, services and the companies of OneAmerica, visit oneamerica.com/about-us/companies-of-oneamerica.

¹ Source: https://www.morningstar.com/blog/2019/03/12/esg-investing-perfor_0.html