Manulife Investment Management has launched it Sustainable Asia Bond Fund in Europe.

The fund was already made available to investors in Singapore last year.

Manulife Global Fund (MGF) Sustainable Asia Bond Fund makes use of the firm’s proprietary Asian credit research and ESG capabilities to select issuers to outperform traditional Asian bond peers.

The MGF Sustainable Asia Bond Fund is led by Murray Collis, deputy CIO, fixed income, Asia ex-Japan, and supported by the management team of Endre Pedersen, Alvin Ong, Jimond Wong and Neal Capecci.

The firm said sustainability of business in Asia is increasingly important to various investors and stakeholders, creating compelling opportunities for investment across Asia-Pacific markets.

“Sustainable and responsible investing is fast becoming one of the most important investment criteria globally,” said Pedersen.

The fund is domiciled in Luxembourg, and is available in Europe alongside two other Lux-based UCITS funds:  MGF Dragon Growth Fund and MGF Asia Total Return Bond Fund.

Andrew G. Arnott, head of wealth and asset management at Manulife Investment Management, United States and Europe, said: “We are excited to launch a fund that combines two of our strongest capabilities for clients who have interest in Asia and ESG integration in fixed income. Additionally, the availability of MGF Dragon Growth fund and MGF Asia Total Return Bond fund now offers a regional product suite for European investors looking to add diversity and exposure to their portfolio.”

The three funds are currently registered for sale in the UK, Germany, and Italy. Manulife Investment Management expects to file in Switzerland in the near term.