ESG and Ethical Investing - Articles & White Papers
Articles and white papers on ESG and socially responsible investing. The most popular ESG research in this section provides practical advice for tangible implementation of ESG policy, for instance, exploring a framework to integrate ESG factors into portfolio construction, and how to integrate ESG into private equity. ESG surveys have been well received, and the list below includes... a survey of European ESG funds as well as a report which examines how institutional investors incorporate ESG considerations when investing in alternatives. A commonly debated issue is the question of how ESG impacts investment returns. Can socially responsible investing deliver competitive performance, or does it hurt investment outcomes? This topic is well covered in this area of our library. Other research in this section includes papers on corporate governance policy, shareholder activism and the rise of activist funds. With environmental risks and climate change an increasing concern for investors, there are a growing number of papers on fossil fuel divestment. Furthermore, increasing attention is being given to how funds can actually use their investments to make a positive change for good, and papers on impact investing have proved popular, particularly in relation to endowments. This section also includes papers on faith-based investing such as Islamic finance.
Climate change presents a potential systemic risk to the financial system. This 60-page guide by the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change aims to serve as a ‘how-to guide’ for institutional investors who are beginning to construct and conduct scenario analysis.
Should investors accept the market's warning signs of a downturn or embrace risk amid cheaper valuations? Where are the potential opportunities for active managers to add value in equity markets? Can positive fundamentals for commodities outweigh lingering headwinds? Where are we in the credit cycle? What are some key areas…
How can private investors have a positive impact on communities through investing in social infrastructure? This comment builds on previous research to examine the social and community value of the asset class and the importance of an intentional approach to enhancing related impacts alongside financial returns. Franklin…
Market volatility looks set to recur in 2019 as familiar factors such as tensions over international trade, diverging geopolitical views and a shift in monetary policy towards higher interest rates again roil investor sentiment. Beyond these known aspects, though, regime change is on the cards: two bull markets – the 30-year…
This report presents everything you need to know about climate change from a scientific, legal, actuarial, accounting, investment consultant, and portfolio management perspective.
Technology has improved our standard of living, but the rapid pace of development has created ethical dilemmas for companies, impacted many users and overwhelmed regulatory bodies. Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal is an obvious example of an ethical lapse, but similar issues have occurred at other tech firms around the…
With responsible investing and ESG integration now in the mainstream investment arena, the focus is gradually shifting to the actual impact companies are having on society and the environment. A positive impact can lead to more sustainable longer-term business models, supporting valuations and risk–return characteristics of…
The Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing landscape is maturing. Presently, expansion is not only in dollar amounts — ESG investing now represents about 20 percent of total assets under professional management in the United States — but also in the development of new policies like the EU Non-Financial…
Sustainable investing is much more than a catch phrase. It is the combination of traditional investment approaches with environmental, social and governance (ESG) insights. Drawing on the insights of BlackRock’s investment professionals, we show why we believe it is feasible to create sustainable portfolios that do not…
The latest issue of AIQ explores the most critical themes in the world of responsible investment. Our cover story focuses on the biggest question for investors: can you do well out of doing good? On the same theme, we assess the concept of star culture in the corporate world; why engagement can be more powerful than…
The 2018 Canadian Responsible Investment Trends Report reveals that responsible investment (RI) is continuing to experience rapid growth in Canada. Survey data collected from more than 100 asset managers, asset owners, and publicly-available sources indicates that Canadian investors increasingly view ESG factors as important…
This report, authored by Pinsent Masons, aims to help pension trustees understand the steps that they can take to engage with climate risk in appropriate and proportionate ways.
Like all investors, sustainable investors juggle various motivations: improving investment performance, achieving an economic or a societal outcome, and investing in ways consistent with their values/beliefs. The challenge for sustainable investment professionals is to understand their clients’ motivations and then shape…
This 42-page report has been authored by the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC). It acts as a guide to address climate risks and opportunities for asset owners. The guide is structured around the framework provided by the Financial Stability Board's (FSB) Taskforce on Climate-related Financial…
Gender parity is fundamental to whether and how economies and societies thrive. Ensuring the full development and appropriate deployment of half of the world’s total talent pool has a vast bearing on the growth, competitiveness and future-readiness of economies and businesses worldwide. The Global Gender Gap Report…
This authors of this report discuss risk and return implications of incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations in an investment strategy. They focus on the risk side in particular and argue that ESG exposures may be informative about the risks of individual firms. They find clear support for this…
This report assesses and ranks the responses of the world’s 100 largest public pension funds to climate change, and its implications for savers. The data collected for this survey is arguably the most comprehensive source currently available and covers a range of dynamics and topics relevant for pension funds from a climate…
As the effects of climate change become more severe, catastrophe risk modelling is more relevant than ever. Few sectors of the economy play a role as intense in catastrophe recovery as insurance; therefore, the industry should strive to continually strengthen the predictive power of its catastrophe modelling capabilities.…
There are several ongoing regulatory and policy initiatives aimed at reducing the barriers to DB and DC scheme investment in illiquid asset classes and approaches, including infrastructure, venture capital, private equity and (some forms of) impact investment. This guide by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA…
Robeco's quarterly magazine is a 44-page compendium of articles on quant investing, sustainability investing, and other topics such as fintech and logistics.
