With major environmental and societal trends such as climate change or the growing use of digital technology transforming both the economic and political landscape, it’s no wonder that a growing number clients wish to consider these factors in their investment decisions.

In fact, our 2018 client survey revealed that currently more than 50 per cent of our clients use, or are interested in, sustainable investing. This increases to over 60 per cent for clients aged 34 or younger. These results show that clients are becoming more aware of sustainability issues and are willing to integrate sustainability in their approach to investment.

Getting started
Though responsible investing seems to be a hot topic these days, making sense out of the many options out there may seem like a daunting task. The terminology alone can be rather confusing, with terms such as sustainability, responsible investing and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) often being used interchangeably. Terminology aside, ultimately what is most important is what matters to you.

Therefore, before you begin, it is helpful to sit with your relationship manager and determine where your personal convictions lie in relation to your investment objectives, and which of these should be given more weight in your decision-making process.

Is your primary financial objective to:

Invest line in with your values? 
Perhaps you are concerned with protecting marine life and would like to support projects that remove plastics from the ocean. Or maybe you would like to ensure that girls have equal access to opportunities as boys. Investing in line with your values can be done either through impact investing – where you ensure a positive societal impact while also making a financial return – or by excluding companies involved in controversial activities. 

Reduce Risks?
Certain non-financial risks, such as a textile company’s insufficient management of labour rights issues in its supply chain, can hurt financial performance in the long run. Investment strategies that identify such Environmental, Social, and Governance factors can help investors avoid these risks.

Seize opportunities?
Companies that are actively tackling global challenges such as climate change by developing renewable energy technology, for instance, are well-positioned deliver long-term economic benefits to investors.

No matter what your priorities and personal convictions are, we can help you find the approach that best suits your needs. Because how we invest today is how we live tomorrow.

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