An insight piece with Dr Alan Whittle, Resolve ESG fund consultant
The best time to talk through what a sustainable portfolio actually holds is before you invest, not after your first review. Setting expectations early – including being honest about when Resolve isn’t the right fit – avoids the surprise that usually triggers a complaint.
A sustainable portfolio that has not been talked through properly is a complaint waiting to happen. The fix is honesty at the outset.
There is a particular problem that can surface six months into a sustainable investment, or at the first annual review. A client scrolls through their holdings, spots a name they did not expect, and asks why it is there. It is a difficult conversation to have after the fact — and an easy one to avoid by having it first.
Alan’s approach starts from being open about what a Resolve portfolio actually is: a blend of sustainable, responsible and ethical assets, some of which carry their own exclusions, rather than a single pure screen. Set that expectation early and the later surprise never arrives.
When is a broad sustainable portfolio the wrong fit?
When a client holds one issue so strongly that no exposure to it is acceptable. In that case, a specialist investment targeting that specific issue is a better fit than a diversified sustainable portfolio.
Being honest at the outset also means being willing to say when the portfolio is not right for someone. For clients with one overriding conviction — Alan proposed animal testing as a common example — a broad sustainable portfolio may not be the answer.
“Some people do have such strong convictions around, you could call it perhaps an issue of magnetic importance, that’s so vital for them as a human, as an individual, that they feel that they cannot have anything to do with that.”
— Dr Alan Whittle
Where an issue carries that kind of weight, the right response is a detailed conversation with a financial planner about whether specialist investments targeting that specific area make sense – not bending a diversified portfolio to fit. It is a point of principle that doubles as good client service: the honest answer sometimes sends someone in a different direction.
How diversified is a Resolve portfolio really?
A Resolve portfolio typically spans around twenty funds, each holding at least twenty companies – spreading exposure across hundreds of businesses worldwide, not a handful of shares.
For most clients, though, the worry about a single unwanted holding dissolves once the structure is understood. A Resolve portfolio is not a handful of shares. It is a collection of funds, each holding its own basket of companies.
“Your whole portfolio is never going to hold a substantial amount in any one of these companies.”
— Dr Alan Whittle
The arithmetic makes the point. Twenty funds, each holding at least twenty companies, quickly adds up to exposure spread across hundreds of businesses worldwide – equities, government bonds and corporate bonds together. Any single name is a small thread in a very large weave. Understanding that is often what turns a client’s anxiety about one holding into confidence about the whole.
None of this works as a retrofit. It works because the conversation happens up front, honestly, before a penny is invested.
FAQs
What if I don’t want any exposure at all to a specific type of company?
If you hold one conviction so strongly that you couldn’t tolerate any exposure to it, a broad sustainable portfolio like Resolve may not be the right fit – a detailed conversation about specialist investments targeting that specific issue is the better route.
Is a sustainable portfolio well diversified?
Yes. A Resolve portfolio typically holds around twenty funds, each containing at least twenty companies – spreading exposure across hundreds of businesses rather than a small handful of shares.
When should I talk to my adviser about what a sustainable portfolio holds?
Before you invest. Setting expectations up front about what’s included and why avoids the unwelcome surprise that often surfaces at the first annual review.
- The value of your investments can go down as well as up, so you could get back less than you invested.
- The information here is for general guidance only and does not constitute personal financial advice. If you are unsure whether an investment is suitable for you, please speak to your Becketts adviser.
- Approved by Becketts FS Ltd 02/09/2026. Becketts is a trading name of Becketts FS Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 409051)
