Big global banks are eyeing some of the world’s most fragile countries for a new experiment in financial engineering: debt relief in exchange for environmental protections. As much as $2 trillion of developing country debt may be eligible. Ecuador is said to be working on a $800 million transaction and Sri Lanka is considering a $1 billion deal.
The field of ESG ratings is in a phase of rapid growth—it is estimated that there are 150 different ESG data providers in the market, and these figures are expected to grow. The estimated scale of ESG-related assets under management (AUM) is predicted to reach US$53 trillion by 2025, equivalent to a third of all global investments.
According to the 2022 Trends Report, from 2020 through the first half of 2022, 154 institutional investors and 70 investment managers collectively controlling nearly $3.0 trillion in assets at the start of 2022 filed or co-filed shareholder resolutions on environmental, social or governance (ESG) issues. Investors also focused on disclosure and management of corporate political spending and lobbying.
The US SIF Foundation using a new modified methodology for their 2022 Trends Report identified 497 institutional asset owners applying ESG incorporation practices across $6.6 trillion in assets under management. The group included institutional asset owners and plan sponsors such as public funds, insurance co, educational and faith-based institutions, foundations, labor funds, hospitals, and family offices.
Using the US SIF Foundation’s new modified methodology, the 2022 Report on US Sustainable Investing Trends identified 349 money managers and 1,359 community investment institutions incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into their investment decision-making processes across a total of $5.6 trillion in assets under management (AUM).
The US SIF Foundation’s 14th edition of the biennial Report on US Sustainable Investing Trends identifies $8.4 trillion in total US sustainable investment AUM at the beginning of 2022. This represents 13 percent of the total US assets under professional management. These totals reflect the Trends Report’s new modified methodology.
Women are at the forefront of the movement towards a new kind of capitalism – one where companies don’t simply focus on maximizing profits for shareholders, but consider their impacts on all stakeholders, including the environment, their workers, and the communities in which they operate. Also we’ve seen companies where women hold top leadership roles tend to meet higher ESG standards than their industry peers.
Compared to just two years ago, our clients are far more aware of ESG as an investment approach. This includes awareness that ESG is, to some, a controversial topic. Part of our role as financial advisors is to dig into investment opportunities to ensure we understand them and how they match up with our clients’ goals for a more sustainable future – that includes a better planet and society over the next five, 10 and 20 years.
(From the Archives) There is a growing recognition that addressing the climate crisis will require tapping into the knowledge, insights, and expertise of the whole population. If we want climate solutions that create a just transition for everyone affected, we need everyone involved – as innovators, entrepreneurs, workers, policymakers, customers, and investors.
Calvert Impact has invested in women since our founding nearly 30 years ago. As an investment firm dedicated to investing in solutions that people and planet need, we helped grow the microfinance and community development financial industries, both of which are important sources of capital for female entrepreneurs. Ten years ago, we began experimenting with a more formal approach to investing in women. (Dec. 2022)
