Can investing with your heart improve health equity?

Heart disease continues to be the #1 cause of death in the United States* as well as costing over $219 billion annually** in expenses. Although heart health needs to be a priority year-round, February is American Heart Month, an annual reminder to focus on our heart health as a form of self-care.  New York Life Investments is proud to introduce a way to contribute to the fight against this devastating disease while potentially contributing to your porfolio’s returns. 

The IQ Healthy Hearts ETF (HART), developed by IndexIQ, and in alignment with the American Heart Association, is the firm’s first “Dual Impact” ESG strategy. HART, which reflects a longstanding commitment to serve our communities and contribute toward building a more sustainable future, thematically invests in well-known stocks of global companies that contribute to the fight against heart disease with a specific focus on those that:  

• Diagnosis and/or treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
• Manufacturing and distribution of healthy food or wellness products.
• Services allowing people to access information about their health and thereby make better, heart-healthy decisions about their lifestyles.
• Solutions for people to track their fitness and engage in a healthy lifestyle.

Beyond the thematic impact of HART, New York Life Investments and IndexIQ will, in connection with the fund, make ongoing contributions to the AHA’s Social Impact Fund. Launched in 2019, the Social Impact Fund was designed to enhance communities by investing in local entrepreneurs and organizations that are breaking down the social and economic barriers to health equity.   

“We are delighted to team with the American Heart Association to introduce a thematic, and impact-oriented investment strategy that harnesses our long-standing investment expertise with their enduring and powerful mission to help people live healthier lives"- Yie-Hsin Hung, New York Life Investment Management’s Chief Executive Officer.

Values-Driven Investing

Recent New York Life Investments research found more than half of investors identify as “values-driven.” With its thematic, “Dual Impact” approach, HART offers those values driven investors an avenue to invest in a sustainability-focused way that advances social causes and contributes to important global initiatives. New York Life Investment Management’s Chief Executive Officer Yie-Hsin Hung views HART as part of an enduring commitment to sustainable investing:

“Sustainable investing has long been at the heart of our approach at New York Life Investments, and we are delighted to team with the American Heart Association to introduce a thematic, and impact-oriented investment strategy that harnesses our long-standing investment expertise with their enduring and powerful mission to help people live healthier lives. HART reflects that an investment strategy is not about generating potential returns alone – when  it’s done in a constructive and sustainable way, it can also be a path toward advancing social good.”

To learn more about the HART fund visit here.

* American Heart Association. “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2018 Update: A Report from the American Heart Association.” Published Jan. 31, 2018

 **Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Heart Disease Facts.” Accessed 13 Nov. 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

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