US Sustainable Investing Trends Report–Foreword by Maria Lettini CEO

US Sustainable Investing Trends Report–Foreword

By Maria Lettini, CEO, US SIF

 

Maria Lettini CEO USSIFFor three decades, we at the US SIF, have been in the privileged position of working with the US sustainable investing community to explore the trends shaping the way investors address environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. 

Now on our 15th edition of this survey, we track the evolution of a practice that has moved from a niche approach focusing on values-driven decision-making in its infancy, to a rigorous field centered on financial risks and opportunities directly impacting corporate enterprise value. 

Today, we are on the cusp of yet another evolution. In the two years since we last published, sustainable investing and the financial industry’s approach to ESG has been misrepresented to become the target of political culture wars; anti-ESG legislation has been introduced in multiple states (largely unsuccessfully), and ESG-marketed funds have come under scrutiny for potential greenwashing.


Effect of Issues or Events on Sustainable Investing - US SIF 24-25 Trends Report


The attention on sustainable investment is a natural outcome for an industry that has grown in both size and influence over the past 30 years. Rather than a roadblock, this is an opportunity to continue to refine the way we address the systemic issues shaping everything from the global economy to our day-to-day lives. 

Increased access to data allows investors to value the risks and opportunities associated with ESG issues more precisely than ever before and to demonstrate positive impact. And with the focus on greenwashing, practitioners will need to better articulate how their approach supports long term value creation. 

Just as the industry evolves, so does this report. For Trends, the 2024 data represents a new start and a new baseline. We have honed our methodology to address potential double-counting of assets, more clearly identified assets marketed as ‘sustainable’ or ‘ESG’ and have taken a broader view of assets covered under stewardship policies to lay the groundwork to better understand and unpack the policies and practices of investors. This new approach also ensures a replicable process, increases the integrity of the report, improves our understanding of the trajectory of this industry and will allow us to highlight best practice over time. 

The sustainable investing of ten years ago will not be the sustainable investing of 2035, but we remain confident in the power of capital markets stakeholders to drive more sustainable, resilient markets for all.


Definitions - Responsible Investment Approaches + Screening Approaches - US SIF 24-25 Trends Report


For additional Trends report findings and information please visit the US SIF website at https://www.ussif.org  

 

Article by Maria Lettini, who joined the US SIF as Chief Executive Officer in May 2023. ??She is an innovative leader within the field of sustainability and finance and is recognized for building meaningful partnerships across the value chain of global institutional investors, corporates, policymakers, multi-national organizations, and other related stakeholders to address some of the world’s most critical, and financially material, environmental and social challenges. 

Prior to US SIF, Maria led the FAIRR Initiative, a global investor network driving the narrative around the risks and opportunities in the global protein supply chain with the aim of directing capital towards a more sustainable and equitable food system.? Under her tenure, the FAIRR investor network grew to over $70 trillion in combined assets and FAIRR’s expert research on climate, biodiversity, anti-microbial resistance, and other risks, reframed the narrative on animal agriculture and sustainable protein. Maria also worked for the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) where she cultivated and expanded the global investor network, managing the PRI’s Signatory Relations strategy and raising awareness of financially material sustainability issues with institutional investors. 

About US SIF and the US SIF Foundation 

US SIF: The Sustainable Investment Forum is the preeminent voice advancing sustainable investing. Members, who represent $5 trillion in assets under management or advisement, support US SIF’s mission to rapidly shift investment practices toward sustainability, focusing on long-term investment, the generation of positive social and environmental impacts and supporting the shift toward a more resilient and equitable planet and society. 

US SIF is supported in its work by the US SIF Foundation, a 501(C)(3) organization that undertakes educational and research activities to advance the mission of US SIF, including offering trainings for advisors and other financial professionals on the Fundamentals of Sustainable and Impact Investment. 

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