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Sustainable Investing Has Moved Into the Mainstream -- and UBS Survey Results Send Strong Signals This is a Lasting Trend There is no doubt now -- the world’s largest asset managers are definitely focused on corporate sustainability and sustainable investing (the two go hand-in-hand) as survey after survey is telling us. In recent years we seen considerable momentum as asset owners and their managers adopt or further enhance their sustainable investing / ESG investing approaches. Take for example UBS, one of the world’s leading asset managers, which regularly surveys asset managers. James Purcell, Global Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing at UBS Wealth Management shares the latest findings in a sponsored editorial post in the Harvard Business Review, and assures executive-level readers: “Sustainability doesn’t mean one potentially has to give up returns. In fact it may be contributing to the investment process by adding more pertinent non-financial information. In this, we have reached a ‘why not’ moment.” UBS, the commentary explains, is ambitious in wanting to shape the future of sustainable investing because the company believes these investments can help clients pursue investments according to their values. And – because UBS is confident that sustainable investing will remain a widely-accepted way of investing. And so in the content shared on HBR, the company explains the signals that sustainable investing should be seen as a lasting, major force in the capital markets. Among these signals:
In the 2018 UBS Investor Watch Global Survey, 81% of respondents said they wanted to align their consumer spending patterns with their values. In the 2019 UBS survey of investors (“ESG: Do You, or Don’t You?”) more four-of-ten respondents already have sustainable investments in their portfolios and expect a positive impact on financial performance. Eight-of-ten respondents said they thoughts “sustainable companies” were good investments (they’re perceived as better managed, more forward-thinking). In 2019, UBS teamed with Responsible Investor to gauge the extent of ESG investing. Europe had the highest proportion of asset owners active in ESG investing (82% of owners). North America is catching up with 70% of respondents saying they were “do-ers” (making ESG material their day-to-day activity) and 19% were “adopters” (not yet focused day-to-day on ESG but planning to integrate in the future). Just in time! Opening this week’s COP 25 meetings, UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres challenged those assembled (and millions more tuning in) by asking – Do we really want to be remembered as the generation that buried its head in the sand, that fiddled while the planet burned? (Or, follow of path of resolve, of sustainable solutions). The UBS commentary is a message of hope – and there is a handy sidebar explain sustainable investing which his of value. We invite your reading of this week’s Top Story and the other items (including more sustainable investment items) that Editor-in-Chief Ken Cynar and the G&A team has selected for you this week.
Top Stories Is Sustainable Investing Moving Into the Mainstream?
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G&A Institute Sustainability Update™
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Sustainability Standards Setters & Policy Makers Supply and demand: the business case for full transparency ISO Paints Brighter Future with Guide for Sustainability in Standards Development U.S. House leaders call for a nationwide goal to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050 United Nations Global Compact issues new report to help companies advance human rights
MSCI ESG Research makes MSCI ESG Ratings of over 2,800 companies publicly available Sustainalytics Endorses the UN Principles for Responsible Banking The evolution of ESG investing in Asia
Samsung Receiving Industry’s First Global Recognition for Environmental Sustainability of its Semiconductor Solutions How Salesforce, Google, others use tech as a ‘force multiplier’ in sustainability innovation Five ways that ESG creates value New Ceres report calls on corporate boards to oversee sustainability risks as global climate and water crises worsen Can Corruption in Your Value Chain Lead to Complicity in Gross Human Rights Abuses? Amazon's Jeff Bezos promises climate-change action Global Sustainability News: Forward Momentum! Australian National Airline Announces Ambitious Sustainability Plan Why climate and sustainability professionals need to take the next step in our evolution Scientists Just Created a Bacteria That Eats CO2 to Reduce Greenhouse Gases
Four Truths and One Lie About Sustainability The economic toll of climate change Mind the Gap: Business Impact Measurement Bins to Panels: Ways Australia is Embracing Sustainability And of interest to all who partake foods & beverage this day!
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Governance & Accountability Instiute is the "Sustainability Headquarters™" for clients in the corporate, investment, public and social sectors. Based in New York, G&A is a for-profit consulting organization providing a range of value-added strategies, services and resources related to ESG & sustainability to clients in the corporate and capital markets communities. For G&A's full range of services, click on each of the links: Sustainability / ESG Consulting Services, Communications & Recognition Services, Investor Relation Services. For more information, visit www.ga-institute.com or contact us at 646.430.8230 or info@ga-institute.com. | ||||||||||
