ESG funds are fast becoming a staple that caters for the appetite of Northern European investors. But in the centre of Europe’s automotive industry, Bavaria, investors are not quite as bothered with sustainability.
Category: ESG
European companies lead the way in ESG
Companies listed in the Eurozone score best on Environmental, Social and Governance criteria, according to Morningstar research, with Portugal getting the highest score. On the other end of the scale, two of the BRICS countries get the lowest marks.
Tracking responsibly – are ESG index-trackers any good?
The growing popularity of index investing is only just starting to be felt in the world of responsible investing but as the market for plain vanilla trackers becomes increasingly crowded, what does the future hold for ESG passive products?
Dutch pension funds take lead in ESG
Three quarters of pension funds in the Netherlands now have an ESG policy, up from just 45% in 2013, according to a study by pensions regulator DNB (De Nederlandsche Bank).
Strong corporate governance leads to outperformance – research
Companies with a sound corporate governance culture have significantly outperformed their poorly governed competitors since the beginning of 2009, according to fresh research by Hermes Investment Management.
Sustainable investing – is it time to consider ETFs?
Passive investing has made a rapid rise over the past couple of years. When it comes to sustainable investing, however, index-based funds are still relative newcomers.
Institutional investors hold 39% of assets in SRI
Some 39% of institutional assets in Europe are invested in sustainable mandates, according to a study commissioned by Union Investment, the German asset manager. The Nordics and the Netherlands are the frontrunners, while Germany and Italy are lagging behind.
ESG – momentum is all that counts
The extent to which a company adheres to ESG-criteria does not materially impact stock returns. However, changes in ESG scores can tell you something about future return potential of a stock, according to new research commissioned by NN Investment Partners.
Socially Responsible Investing – Exclude or engage?
Sweden is a leader in socially responsible investing, so in Stockholm we gathered a group of leading SRI experts, fund buyers and managers to debate the big issues such as balancing ethics and performance, and whether to invest in the best company in ‘unethical’ areas – or avoid the sectors completely.
Rise of passives risks diminishing shareholder influence
Three-fifths of European institutional investors expect the rise of passive investment vehicles to have a negative impact on shareholder engagement, reported the latest paper in the Hermes Investment Management Responsible Capitalism survey.
