Original, independent, thought leadership

Fidelity and JPMorgan Chase received Very Good reputational scores in Axios Harris poll

The Bottom Line:  The recently released Axios Harris reputational rankings poll includes two fund firms- Fidelity and JPMorgan Chase-that received Very Good overall reputational scores. Axios Harris Poll 100 Reputational Rankings-Financial Services Companies   Source: Axios Harris Poll 100. Guide to scores:  Purple-Excellent, Light blue-Very good, Green-Good, Yellow-Fair, Orange-Poor, and red-Very poor. Observations: The latest […]

Sustainable small cap investing options

The Bottom Line:  Sustainable small cap stock funds, which posted some of the strongest gains in June 2023, call for additional due diligence before investing. Top 10 performing sustainable small cap equity mutual funds and ETFs in June 2023 Fund/Share Class Start Date TNA ($ billions) Expense Ratio (%) 1-M (%) 3-M (%) Y-T-D (%) […]

Top 10 sustainable fund firms account for 70% of segment’s assets

The Bottom Line:  Investors considering scale in their investment decision making can choose from at least ten firms whose sustainable assets reached almost $230 billion. Top 10 sustainable fund firms:  Assets under management at YE 2022 and June 30, 2023Notes of Explanation: Top 10 firms based on assets as of June 30, 2023; iShares and […]

Green bond fund investors stay the course

The Bottom Line:  Green bond fund investors largely stay the course through July of this year, earning an average 3.1% year-to-date and 0.49% in July. Green bond funds total net assets:  December 2022 – July 2023Notes of Explanation: Sources:  Morningstar and Sustainable Research and Analysis LLC Observations: Following the pause in June, the Fed voted […]

Fund closures ticked up in July 2023

sustainable investing

The bottom line:  ETF closures spiked in July, serving as a reminder that small-sized funds can potentially expose investors to the risk of untimely liquidation. Monthly sustainable ETF closures: January 2023 – July 2023 Sources:  Morningstar Direct and Sustainable Research and Analysis. Observations:   Sustainable ETF closures spiked up in July, reaching nine ETF closures […]

ISS reports jump in shareholder proposals fueled, in part, by anti-ESG initiatives

The Bottom Line: Anti ESG shareholder proposals have been rising, but challenges aside, companies are expected to continue to address relevant and material ESG risks.   Observations:   According to a report published on May 24, 2023, by ISS Corporate Solutions, the volume of shareholder proposals for annual meetings held between January 1, 2023 through May 31, […]

Sustainable municipal bond funds delivered strong results in June 2023

The Bottom Line:  Sustainable municipal bond funds performed well in June, but the variety of funds means that investors should conduct due diligence before investing. Top 10 Performing Sustainable Municipal Bond Funds in June 2023 Fund Name/Share Class Fund TNA ($ billions) Expense Ratio (%) 1-M (%) 3-M (%) Y-T-D (%) 12-M (%) Invesco Environmental […]

Research

Research and analysis to keep sustainable investors up to-date on a broad range of topics that include trends and developments in sustainable investing and sustainable finance, regulatory updates, performance results and considerations, investing through index funds and actively managed portfolios, asset allocation updates, expenses, ESG ratings and data, company and product news, green, social and sustainable bonds, green bond funds as well as reporting and disclosure practices, to name just a few.

A continuously updated Funds Directory is also available to investors.  This is intended to become a comprehensive listing of sustainable mutual funds, ETFs and other investment products along with a description of their sustainable investing approaches as set out in fund prospectuses and related regulatory filings.

Getting started

Many questions have surfaced in recent years regarding sustainable and ESG investing.  Here, investors and financial intermediaries will find materials that describe the various approaches to sustainable investing and their implementation.  While sustainable investing approaches vary and they have thus far defied universally accepted definitions, many practitioners agree that they fall into the following broad categories:  Values-based investing, investing via exclusions, impact investing, thematic investments and ESG integration.  In conjunction with each of these approaches, investors may also adopt various issuer engagement procedures and proxy voting practices.  That said, sustainable investing approaches will continue to evolve.

In addition to periodic updates regarding sustainable investing and how this form of investing is evolving, investors and financial intermediaries interested in implementing a sustainable investing approach will also find source materials that cover basic investing themes as well as asset allocation tactics.

Inesting ideas

Thoughts and ideas targeting sustainable investing strategies executed through various registered and non-registered sustainable investment funds and products such as mutual funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), closed-end funds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). Coverage extends to investment management firms as well as fund groups. 

Independent source for sustainable investment management company research, analysis, opinions and sustainable fund disclosure assessments