"Over the last five years, green companies generated higher returns than the broader stock market." [COMMENTARY]The study suggests the growth of the green economy could see green stocks continuing to increase their capitalization faster than the economy as a whole. President Trump should take note.FTSE Russell Study Highlights Investment Opportunities in Green Economy, by Leila…

"A lot of financial advisors say their clients just aren′t interested… That′s partly the conclusion of the 2018 Wealthmanagement.com survey on SRI investing, where lack of client demand, even more so than a perceived negative impact on portfolio returns, was cited as the primary factor keeping advisors from using these types of investment funds. Dan…

"Corporate Knights has decided once again, with sponsorship support from the Canadian Industry Partnership for Energy Conservation (CIPEC), to carry forward the annual Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada ranking into its 17th year. CIPEC helps organizations increase profits by improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions." [COMMENTARY]Always a terrific ranking. It’s admirable that…

"The global green economy now represents a total market share similar to that of the fossil fuel sector. That′s according to FTSE Russell, which says it makes up 6% of global markets and is worth approximately $54 trillion (£40.3tn). The stock indices organisation says the sustainable economy is growing, compared to the shrinking fossil fuel…

"81% of Australia′s largest super funds are committed to responsible investment (up from 70% in 2016), and 62% report annually on activity, highlighting how deeply responsible investing has become part of Australian investment markets." [COMMENTARY]The media release linked to below demonstrates that responsible investing is growing fast in Australasia.Aussie super funds take up the gauntlet…

"Some 92% of millennials agreed with the statement ’I care more about having a positive impact on society than doing well financially’ compared to 52% of nonmillennials." [COMMENTARY]This survey by Nuveen illustrates the sharp differences between the way millennials and non-millennials think about their lives, work, consumption, and investing. Again, as in so many other…

"Investors bought £138m in ethical funds in March 2018 compared to just £32m at the same point last year, according to the most recent data from the Investment Association. Ethical funds still make up a small proportion of the total at 1.3 per cent. But the number is growing, from 1 per cent in 2015."…

"ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing roadblocks in retirement plans should be removed, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, urged in a report today. ’Asset managers and state and municipal plans using ESG strategies report enhanced risk management and other benefits,’ the report said." [COMMENTARY]Good to see other arms of the…

"In its report ’What Counts: The ‘S′ in ESG, New Conclusions,’ CECP, with support from Cisco, introduces an aggregated calculation called ’Total Social Investment (TSI).’ The calculation is a forward-looking reflection of the innovative ways companies invest in society. TSI offers a high-level and comparable snapshot for use by investors and other stakeholders to determine…

"The Ceres Clean Trillion highlights the need for an additional $1 trillion per year in clean energy investment to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Now that clean energy has gone mainstream, this ’Clean Trillion’ goal is eminently feasible. This report, In Sight of the Clean Trillion, points to significant opportunities for investors to…

"’CR Magazine is proud to present the only ESG ranking list that doesn’t rely on self-reporting,’ said Dave Armon, publisher of CR Magazine. ’Each year, the 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking measures the success of the Brands Taking Stands movement by celebrating the most successful, most transparent companies that report on their responsible practices. We…

"We have seen good progress with asset managers since we started assessing ESG integration at the strategy level. In 2010, less than 9 per cent of investment strategies with an ESG rating were ESG1 or ESG2. At the beginning of 2018, more than 15 per cent of active investment strategies achieved a high rating. This…

"When it comes to impact investing, advisors often say their clients do not ask for it. But many clients do not know enough to ask about the possibilities of ESG investing, according to Marlo Stil, managing partner and financial advisor at the Wealth Consulting Group in Nevada… When clients learn they can invest in a…

"In the UK, climate related risk has moved from the NGO agenda to that of asset managers. A recent survey reported that fund managers believe International Oil Companies (IOCs) will be negatively revalued within a few years due to climate change related risks." [COMMENTARY]Finally, fund managers are getting the message! Even ’big oil’ is coming…

"In the past three years, the world has made some progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, but the fundamental issue of financing the SDGs remains unresolved. And, with the financial sector strongly oriented toward short-termism, the necessary investments may never materialize." [COMMENTARY]The UN is sounding an alarm that if short-termism in…

"Nowadays the need for an ethical and socially responsible approach to finance appears increasingly evident, yet the sphere of ethical finance does not have the success that one could imagine." [COMMENTARY]This research delves into the subject that many of us in the ethical investment sphere have long been curious about: despite the large proportion of…

"Our analyses of corporate philanthropy and citizenship practices shows that companies already recognize the need to address SDGs and are using their CSR programs to apply, advance and report efforts. However, stronger metrics are still needed, especially for companies and stakeholders to fully maximize impact." [COMMENTARY]A superb, insightful analysis and survey of the rise of…

"Investment funds aren′t what they say they are when it comes to sustainability or environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria, according to the company behind a new impact measurement model." [COMMENTARY]There are many views on determining sustainability. Here is one perspective that many ESG-ethical fund managers might want to review.Impact assessment model finds ESG funds…

"Driven by the strong performance of the group′s core U.S. equity funds, one third of sustainable funds finished in the top quartile of their Morningstar Categories and 55% finished in the top half. Among sustainable funds in the large-blend Morningstar Category, 20 out of 37 finished in the top quartile, 28 beat the S&P 500,…

"In North America, the US had the lowest proportion using and preparing to use carbon pricing, 15 and 9 per cent respectively, and, at 66 per cent, the lowest percentage of companies with board oversight… The research, into 1,681 companies in 14 countries and eleven sectors, was conducted by the London-based Carbon Disclosure Project, or…