E-newsletter of Investing for the
Soul February
27, 2021
Ron Robins, Editor. E-mail /289-271-0873 Latest news at https://investingforthesoul.com/
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Latest Podcasts
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Latest Podcast:
Analysts' Top ESG Energy and Water Stocks "Analysts’
top ESG energy and water stocks and funds include the following. Middlesex
Water Co., Invesco Water Resources ETF, American States Water Co.,
California Water Service Group, Xylem, Fidelity Select Environment and
Alternative Energy Portfolio, Calvert Global Energy Solutions Fund Class
A, American Electric Power, Dominion Energy, Hubbell, Consolidated Edison,
Array Technologies, and TPI Composites."
-- By Ron Robins
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Introducing the 2021 Carbon Clean200: Investing in a Clean Energy Future. "Corporate Knights and As You Sow have released the annual Clean200 list of publicly traded companies that are leading the way with solutions for the transition to a clean-energy future."
[COMMENTARY]
Always an eagerly sought-after list by a very competent team.
Introducing the 2021 Carbon Clean200: Investing in a Clean Energy Future,
by Andy Behar and Toby A.A. Heaps, February 18, 2021, Corporate Knights
and As You Sow, Canada.
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Meta-study underlines ties between ESG and corporate success. "Researchers from the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business and Rockefeller Asset Management looked at 1,141 peer-reviewed papers and 27 meta-reviews -- themselves based on roughly 1,400 studies -- published between 2015 and 2020...
The meta-study finds a positive link between ESG and financial performance in 58 percent of the corporate studies, with 13 percent showing a neutral impact, 21 percent mixed results and only 8 percent showing a negative relationship. Among investment studies, 59 percent find similar or better performance relative to conventional investment approaches while only 14 percent show negative results."
[COMMENTARY]
More clear research on why companies adopt ESG and why ESG is gradually
gaining dominance in the investment industry.
Meta-study underlines ties between ESG and corporate success, by Ben
Maiden, February 19, 2021, Corporate Secretary, USA.
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S&P Global makes over 9,000 ESG Scores publicly available to help increase transparency of corporate sustainability performance. "S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI) launched a new public webpage highlighting S&P Global's full suite of environment, social and governance (ESG) solutions, and for the very first time, access to S&P Global ESG Scores on 9,200 companies. S&P Global ESG Scores are the key factor for selecting companies for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI)."
[COMMENTARY]
The range of research options for individual ethical and sustainable
investors continues to expand. This is a welcome addition to those
options.
S&P Global makes over 9,000 ESG Scores publicly available to help increase
transparency of corporate sustainability performance, press release,
February 16, 2021, S&P Global.
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A Little-Known Green Fund Soared 114% in 2020. We Caught Up With Its Manager. "Thanks to its investments in disruptive technologies, the little-known Shelton Green Alpha Fund (ticker: NEXTX) soared 114% in 2020, winning a coveted five-star Morningstar rating."
[COMMENTARY]
Of course the real test is how the fund performs long-term! Now, was the
fund into a few lucky segments and companies? Time will tell.
A Little-Known Green Fund Soared 114% in 2020. We Caught Up With Its
Manager, by Leslie P. Norton, February 14, 2021, Barron's, USA.
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S&P Global annual report finds record ESG disclosure. "The yearbook, published since 2004, covers a record 7,032 companies, compared with 4,700 in 2020, across 40 countries and 61 industries, and is now publicly available."
[COMMENTARY]
These numbers confirm the rapid adoption of ESG and sustainability
reporting by the world's largest corporations. I've waited over forty
years for these days!
S&P Global annual report finds record ESG disclosure, by Hazel
Bradford, Pensions&Investments, USA.
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$1 trillion in oil and gas pipelines worldwide could become stranded assets, new report warns. "The pipeline industry faces growing questions about whether it’s wise to build a massive network of pipelines that could become obsolete well within their projected 50-year-plus lifespans."
[COMMENTARY]
I suspect most of those connected with the development of new pipelines
are concerned for the next 5-15 years. Beyond that is too far into the
future to consider. They want their incomes and returns 'now'.
$1 trillion in oil and gas pipelines worldwide could become stranded
assets, new report warns, by Sharon Kelly, February 8, 2021,
Nation of Change, USA.
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What Happens When a Company Gets an A From One ESG Rater and an F From Another? "With the explosion of ESG data and ratings, there's little agreement on what makes a company good or bad."
[COMMENTARY]
I agree that ESG reporting metrics and information should be standardized.
However, what particular metrics and information are favored by raters
should be up to them. Hence, there should still be lots of room for
independent opinions concerning ESG 'grading.'
What Happens When a Company Gets an A From One ESG Rater and an F From
Another? By Judy Segal, February 2, 2021, Institutional Investor, USA.
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Featured Book
Values at Work: Sustainable Investing and ESG Reporting, by Daniel
C. Esty and Todd Cort, Palgrave Macmillan 2020.
"In an effort to
better understand the current status and movement of this dynamic field
and to provide a practical reference for the growing pool of investors,
financial advisors, companies, and academics seeking information on
sustainable investing and ESG reporting, this edited book covers the
latest trends, tools, and thinking."
Note: Articles are linked to the original source. Some sites might require registration, and may, or may not, archive stories. All links were active at the time of publication.
Disclaimer: Neither The Soul Investor nor Ron Robins makes investment recommendations. Nothing in this newsletter should be interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation to buy/sell any securities or investments. The Soul Investor is a source of general information and resources for spiritual investing, ethical investing, and socially responsible investing (SRI). Investors should consider their actions thoroughly and consult their professional advisers prior to taking any investment action. The Soul Investor does not necessarily agree with the opinions expressed in articles in its newsletter or offered on the web pages to which it might be linked. Such opinions are the responsibility of the writers themselves. Furthermore, The Soul Investor does not offer or provide any warranties, representations, guarantees, implied or otherwise, as to the accuracy, legality, copyright compliance, timeliness or usefulness of the information, materials or services in this e-newsletter, or other sites, to which it might be linked. Also, Mr. Ron Robins is not an investment advisor, nor is he licensed with any professional investment related body, and thus is not able to, nor does he make, any investment recommendations.
The Soul Investor is a publication of Investing for the Soul, a registered business name in Ontario, Canada. Copyright © 2021 Ron Robins. All rights reserved.