Original, independent, thought leadership

Sustainable Index Funds Lag Behind Conventional Funds

Sustainable index funds at $35.1 billion represent just 3.1% of sustainable long-term fund assets versus 36.2% for conventional mutual funds and ETFs Sustainable index funds[1], including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have achieved limited traction so far and stand in contrast to the popularity of index funds across the investment company landscape. At the… Continue reading about Sustainable Index Funds Lag Behind Conventional Funds

Sustainable Indices Lagged, Matched or Exceeded Returns for the Month of October 2019

Market recovers in second half of month to post strong 2.17% return; foreign markets performed even better while sustainable fund indices lagged, matched or exceeded their conventional counterparts In a month that produced returns ranging from highs of 8.05% posted by European emerging markets to 7.73% recorded by NASDAQ biotech stocks and 4.97% for Japanese… Continue reading about Sustainable Indices Lagged, Matched or Exceeded Returns for the Month of October 2019

Monthly Sustainable Model Portfolios Performance Summary: September 2019

Model portfolios: Two of three sustainable model portfolios were eclipsed by their conventional benchmarks In a month when the performance of equities and bonds reversed positions as large cap equities, tracked by the S&P 500 Index, posted a total return gain of 1.87% while investment-grade intermediate bonds ended the month lower at -0.53% on the… Continue reading about Monthly Sustainable Model Portfolios Performance Summary: September 2019

Two of Three SUSTAIN Fund Indices Lagged: September 2019 Update

Performance of equities and bonds reversed positions in September as large cap equities posted a total return gain of 1.87% while investment-grade intermediate bonds ended the month lower at -0.53% The performance of equities and bonds reversed positions in September as large cap equities, tracked by the S&P 500 Index, posted a total return gain… Continue reading about Two of Three SUSTAIN Fund Indices Lagged: September 2019 Update

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