Sustainable Investing in Practice

Sustainable Investing in Practice PDF Author: Simon Smiles
Publisher: Kogan Page Publishers
ISBN: 1398607916
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 345

Book Description
The compelling promise of progressing profits, purpose and the planet is what drives sustainable investing. Yet the field is also packed with challenges and pitfalls for the finance industry. Sustainable Investing in Practice provides a pragmatic steer for how finance professionals can navigate the realities of ESG investing so they can achieve the impact they desire. It addresses the obvious problems - a lack of common standards, opaque vocabulary, irrelevant data - that investors face. And it explains the skewed incentives and compromises that have held sustainable investing back. Yet it does not dwell on obstacles and defeat. Instead, it shows readers how to develop sustainable strategies and improve outcomes, covering critical topics such as ESG ratings, data and disclosure policies and multi-asset portfolios, while also documenting successful practices and pointing out how to modify inadequate ones. Packed full of insightful examples, analysis and interviews from expert commentators such as Paul Polman KBE, Richard Curtis OBE, and Gillian Tett, the book provides useful ideas and plans for how to take sustainable finance forward while balancing credibility and commerciality in equal measure. Written by two pioneering leaders within sustainable investing, this is a must-read for every finance professional, investor and regulator-whether they are seeking to fast track their careers, bring commercial and sustainable learning to their organization, or upgrade their understanding of this crucial but complex topic. It will also be of interest to students taking modules on sustainable finance.

Sustainable Investing

Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Cary Krosinsky
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1317192850
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 322

Book Description
A seminal shift has taken place in the world of investing. A clear and overarching reality has emerged which must be solved: financial considerations must factor in sustainability considerations for ongoing societal success, while sustainability issues equally need to be driven by a business case. As a result, investment practices are evolving, especially towards more positive philosophies and frameworks. Sustainable Investing brings the reader up to speed on trends playing out in each region and asset class, drawing on contributions from leading practitioners across the globe. Implications abound for financial professionals and other interested investors, as well as corporations seeking to understand future investment trends that will affect their shareholders’ thinking. Policymakers and other stakeholders also need to be aware of what is happening in order to understand how they can be most effective at helping implement and enable the changes arguably now required for economic and financial success. Sustainable Investing represents an essential overview of sustainable investment practices that will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of sustainable banking and finance, as well as professionals and policymakers with an interest in this fast-moving field.

Sustainable Investing

Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Herman Bril
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000097994
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 322

Book Description
This book tells the story of how the convergence between corporate sustainability and sustainable investing is now becoming a major force driving systemic market changes. The idea and practice of corporate sustainability is no longer a niche movement. Investors are increasingly paying attention to sustainability factors in their analysis and decision-making, thus reinforcing market transformation. In this book, high-level practitioners and academic thought leaders, including contributions from John Ruggie, Fiona Reynolds, Johan Rockström, and Paul Polman, explain the forces behind these developments. The contributors highlight (a) that systemic market change is influenced by various contextual factors that impact how sustainable investing is perceived and practiced; (b) that the integration of ESG factors in investment decisions is impacting markets on a large scale and hence changes practices of major market players (e.g. pension funds); and (c) that technology and the increasing datafication of sustainability act as further accelerators of such change. The book goes beyond standard economic theory approaches to sustainable investing and emphasizes that capitalism founded on more real-world (complex) economics and cooperation can strengthen ESG integration. Aimed at both investment professionals and academics, this book gives the reader access to more practitioner-relevant information and it also discusses implementation issues. The reader will gain insights into how "mainstream" financial actors relate to sustainable investing.

Evolutions in Sustainable Investing

Evolutions in Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Cary Krosinsky
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118157923
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 512

Book Description
Sustainable Investing is fast becoming an essential method of generating long-term returns, moving beyond the negative approaches to socially responsible investing that have dominated the field. This book, our second on the subject, provides over 15 case studies of leading global investors and companies demonstrating how they successfully apply sustainability aspects to their core strategies. Learn from prominent thought leaders Dan Esty and Paul Hawken among others who have contributed key chapters. Our chapter on performance shows clearly how these strategies have been working once negative approaches are parsed out by those examining fund returns. This book also examines in great depth what data exists, and what's on the horizon, to best measure & capture sustainability successfully. Regional perspectives, including 3 chapters on Asia, and focuses on Canada, Australia, Africa & India are also included, as is a look across asset classes. Sustainable Investing, when performed with a positive perspective, has been outperforming the mainstream, unlike negative approaches designed to match benchmark returns. From eco-efficiency to sustainability-driven innovation and beyond, investors of all shapes & sizes need to know how best to position themselves for the radical market shifts underway.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing PDF Author: John Hill
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128186933
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 371

Book Description
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing: A Balanced Analysis of the Theory and Practice of a Sustainable Portfolio presents a balanced, thorough analysis of ESG factors as they are incorporated into the investment process. An estimated 25% of all new investments are in ESG funds, with a global total of $23 trillion and the U.S. accounting for almost $9 trillion. Many advocate the sustainability goals promoted by ESG, while others prefer to maximize returns and spend their earnings on social causes. The core problem facing those who want to promote sustainability goals is to define sustainability investing and measure its returns. This book examines theories and their practical implications, illuminating issues that other books leave in the shadows. Provides a dispassionate examination of ESG investing Presents the historical arguments for maximizing returns and competing theories to support an ESG approach Reviews case studies of empirical evidence about relative returns of both traditional and ESG investment approaches

Handbook on Sustainable Investments: Background Information and Practical Examples for Institutional Asset Owners

Handbook on Sustainable Investments: Background Information and Practical Examples for Institutional Asset Owners PDF Author: Swiss Sustainable Finance
Publisher: CFA Institute Research Foundation
ISBN: 1944960368
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 200

Book Description
A fast growing share of investors have recently widened their scope of analysis to criteria regarded as extra-financial. They are driven by different motivations. Adoption of sustainable investment strategies can be driven, on the one hand by the sole motivation to hedge portfolios against knowable risks by expanding the conceptual framework to incorporate the latest best practice in risk management. Other investors focus rather on a long-term view and make an active bet on societal change. Recent empirical research has shown that considering sustainability factors within investment practices does not come at a cost (i.e. through a reduced opportunity set) but allows for competitive returns. Furthermore, the growing market and resulting competition in the wake of sustainable investing going mainstream has the welcome effect to compress fees for such products. Hence, staying informed about recent trends in sustainable investing is imperative no matter what the main motivation is.

Evolutions in Sustainable Investing

Evolutions in Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Cary Krosinsky
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470888490
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 512

Book Description
Sustainable Investing is fast becoming an essential method of generating long-term returns, moving beyond the negative approaches to socially responsible investing that have dominated the field. This book, our second on the subject, provides over 15 case studies of leading global investors and companies demonstrating how they successfully apply sustainability aspects to their core strategies. Learn from prominent thought leaders Dan Esty and Paul Hawken among others who have contributed key chapters. Our chapter on performance shows clearly how these strategies have been working once negative approaches are parsed out by those examining fund returns. This book also examines in great depth what data exists, and what's on the horizon, to best measure & capture sustainability successfully. Regional perspectives, including 3 chapters on Asia, and focuses on Canada, Australia, Africa & India are also included, as is a look across asset classes. Sustainable Investing, when performed with a positive perspective, has been outperforming the mainstream, unlike negative approaches designed to match benchmark returns. From eco-efficiency to sustainability-driven innovation and beyond, investors of all shapes & sizes need to know how best to position themselves for the radical market shifts underway.

Sustainable Investing

Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Cary Krosinsky
Publisher: Earthscan
ISBN: 1849773955
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 273

Book Description
Sustainable Investing is fast becoming the smart way of generating long-term returns. With conventional investors now scrambling to factor in issues such as climate change, this book captures a turning point in the evolution of global finance. Bringing together leading practitioners of Sustainable Investing from across the globe, this book charts how this agenda has evolved, what impact it has today, and what prospects are emerging for the years ahead. Sustainable Investing has already been outperforming the mainstream, and concerned investors need to know how best to position themselves for potentially radical market change.

ESG and Responsible Institutional Investing Around the World: A Critical Review

ESG and Responsible Institutional Investing Around the World: A Critical Review PDF Author: Pedro Matos
Publisher: CFA Institute Research Foundation
ISBN: 1944960988
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 80

Book Description
This survey examines the vibrant academic literature on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. While there is no consensus on the exact list of ESG issues, responsible investors increasingly assess stocks in their portfolios based on nonfinancial data on environmental impact (e.g., carbon emissions), social impact (e.g., employee satisfaction), and governance attributes (e.g., board structure). The objective is to reduce exposure to investments that pose greater ESG risks or to influence companies to become more sustainable. One active area of research at present involves assessing portfolio risk exposure to climate change. This literature review focuses on institutional investors, which have grown in importance such that they have now become the largest holders of shares in public companies globally. Historically, institutional investors tended to concentrate their ESG efforts mostly on corporate governance (the “G” in ESG). These efforts included seeking to eliminate provisions that restrict shareholder rights and enhance managerial power, such as staggered boards, supermajority rules, golden parachutes, and poison pills. Highlights from this section: · There is no consensus on the exact list of ESG issues and their materiality. · The ESG issue that gets the most attention from institutional investors is climate change, in particular their portfolio companies’ exposure to carbon risk and “stranded assets.” · Investors should be positioning themselves for increased regulation, with the regulatory agenda being more ambitious in the European Union than in the United States. Readers might come away from this survey skeptical about the potential for ESG investing to affect positive change. I prefer to characterize the current state of the literature as having a “healthy dose of skepticism,” with much more remaining to be explored. Here, I hope the reader comes away with a call to action. For the industry practitioner, I believe that the investment industry should strive to achieve positive societal goals. CFA Institute provides an exemplary case in its Future of Finance series (www.cfainstitute.org/research/future-finance). For the academic community, I suggest we ramp up research aimed at tackling some of the open questions around the pressing societal goals of ESG investing. I am optimistic that practitioners and academics will identify meaningful ways to better harness the power of global financial markets for addressing the pressing ESG issues facing our society.

Sustainable Investing

Sustainable Investing PDF Author: Hanna Silvola
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030714896
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 252

Book Description
This book reviews the latest methods of sustainable investing and financial profit making and describes how ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) analysis can identify future business opportunities and manage risk to achieve abnormal returns. Megatrends such as climate change, sustainable development and digitalisation increase uncertainty and information asymmetry and have an impact on the future returns on investments. From a profit perspective, it is largely about how ESG factors affect the long-term value added by companies and the valuation of companies in the financial markets. Although sustainability provides an opportunity for abnormal returns, this phenomenon must be considered in a critical light. The book describes the risks and limitations associated with the accountability and availability of ESG data and tools. This book provides both academic findings and practical models for assessing the sustainability of investees and introduces practical tools and methods to make ESG analysis practice. It focuses on the ESG analysis of equity investments and fund investments in institutional investment organizations and provides a handbook for all investment analysts who are involved with investment decisions. Readers will benefit from understanding the methods, opportunities and challenges that professionals use in their ESG analysis with cases, interviews and practical tools for both institutional and private investors.