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 has become undeniable, and no industry has greater exposure to its risks than the insurance sector. It poses a unique threat to both sides of their balance sheets – to insurers’ assets as well as their liabilities.
Persistent positive skew in the distribution of returns across index constituents suggests that a successful active equity management program must include a process to mitigate omission risk – i.e. the opportunity cost of missing out high returning stocks that buoy average benchmark returns. A bottom-up approach to…
Persistent positive skew in the distribution of returns across index constituents suggests that a successful active equity management program must include a process to mitigate omission risk – i.e. the opportunity cost of missing out high returning stocks that buoy average benchmark returns. A bottom-up approach to…
This paper illustrates the processes that STOXX followed in constructing the STOXX Paris-Aligned Benchmark Indices, with a specific focus on the STOXX® Europe 600 Paris-Aligned Benchmark Index, and the additional steps taken to reinforce the objectives of the EU PABs.
This report from NN Investment Partners looks at the role responsible investing can play in shaping an economic recovery that leads to a fairer society and a better environment for future generations.
The world changed in March 2020. Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic strained health care systems to the breaking point, put much of the global economy on an indefinite hiatus and radically reshaped societal norms and interactions. For businesses everywhere, these events are undermining established assumptions while…
This article studies the impact of carbon risk on stock pricing. To address this, we consider the seminal approach of Görgen et al. (2019), who proposed estimating the carbon financial risk of equities by their carbon beta. To achieve this, the primary task is to develop a brown-minus-green (or BMG) risk factor, similar to…
This year's FTSE Russell Smart Sustainability survey of global asset owners looks again at the evaluation and usage of sustainability considerations in asset owners' smart beta investment decisions. With each passing year there is more to be learnt about asset owners’ awareness and behaviors related to the combination of…
There is plentiful scope for Impact Investments. The UN Trade and Development conference estimated a $2.5 trillion need for initiatives to avert threats of food insecurity, pandemics, energy supply, climate change, etc. If certain externalities such as emissions are priced, taxed, or fined – for example, wide adoption of…
There is plentiful scope for Impact Investments. The UN Trade and Development conference estimated a $2.5 trillion need for initiatives to avert threats of food insecurity, pandemics, energy supply, climate change, etc. If certain externalities such as emissions are priced, taxed, or fined – for example, wide adoption of…
The COVID-19 pandemic dealt the global economy a massive blow—a greater and more prolonged one than many initially expected. While our investment professionals remain optimistic about a second-half recovery this year, they are less convinced it will be spelled out as a sharp, “V-shaped” rebound. Our senior leaders offer…
The greening of the global economy presents significant opportunities to investors. However, investors and policymakers face a common challenge: How can green business activities be systematically identified, categorized, and measured across diverse sectors, supply chains and asset classes to mobilize investment at scale?…
Emerging markets are on the front lines of climate change. Aware of the challenges, many EM companies are developing solutions, shifting business models, and realigning corporate policies to help them prepare. Two of Wellington's EM portfolio managers share insights on the investing landscape and offer a framework for…
The pandemic crisis now rests on a fulcrum. On one side is Covid-19 and every possible action that might prevent people from contracting and dying from infection. On the other side is everything else that matters: livelihoods that allow people to feed and shelter their families; civil liberties; the education of children;…
SimCorp's paper features a roundtable discussion explaining how some asset managers have successfully integrated ESG data and reporting into their organisations and how a positive feedback loop can be used to potentially attract new clients.
Business changes are forcing the evolution of the role of the corporation, and boards must be well positioned to address a variety of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, including climate change, data privacy and cybersecurity, and the changing cultural demands of a more diverse and tech-savvy workforce.
Drafted with the participation of internationally renowned experts, the 2019 Sovereign Wealth Funds Report analyzes the most recent trends in the SWFs industry, the largest deals and top sectors targeted, such as technology, life sciences, real estate, services, and infrastructure. The period 2018-2019 marked an all-time…
Sovereign funds manage a large share of the world’s invested capital. The action or inaction of these funds on climate finance is of crucial importance to the world’s ability to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement and restrain global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. However, sovereign funds have so far played a very…
