Original, independent, thought leadership

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: November 2018

Sustainable funds close November with $312.5 billion in assets under management, adding $8.7 billion due to market movement and repurposed/reclassified funds[1] The net assets of the universe of sustainable funds registered a month-over-month increase to offset some of last month’s decline. The 1,130 sustainable funds ended the month of November with $312.5 billion in net […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: October 2018

Sustainable funds close October at $302.4 billion, giving up $19.5 billion due largely to market declines[1] For only the second time so far this year, the total net assets of the universe of sustainable funds, including mutual funds, ETFs and ETNs, registered a month-over-month decline. The 1,100 sustainable funds ended the month of October with […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: September 2018

Summary Sustainable funds close September having achieved another high point with $321.9 billion in assets under management, up $11.4 billion of which $10.99 billion, or 96%, is sourced to repurposed funds. Top 10 performing funds/share classes over the 12-months to September 30, 2018: Performance ranges from 25.99% to 228.44%. These funds vary in their approach […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: August 2018

Summary Sustainable funds closed August at $310.5 billion, up $6.5 billion of which $2.9 billion is sourced to market movement and $2.05 billion to net positive cash flows, for a combined total of $4.95 billion; repurposed funds added $1.54 billion. Sustainable funds registered an average gain of 2.14%, ranging from 17.17% to -3.87% while the […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: July 2018

 Summary Sustainable funds close July at $303.9 billion, up $18.1 billion due to shift in funds and market appreciation, with net flows adding an estimated $917 million, or 0.32%. Sustainable funds register average gain of 2.14%, ranging from 17.17% to -3.87%. Market movement and repurposed funds contribute $17.2 billion in net assets. Pioneer Investments moves […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: April 2018

Monthly Sustainable Assets Under Management Reach $280.7 Billion Sustainable funds, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs), a total of 956 funds/share classes, ended the month of April with $280.7 billion in assets under management (AUM). This represents an increase of $8,685 million or 3.2% relative to March 31, 2018 and a […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: May 2018

Sustainable Funds Close May at $283.9 Billion, Adding $3.3 Billion and Two New Funds The net assets of 965 sustainable funds and share classes, including 323 mutual funds, 71 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and one exchange-traded note (ETN), ended the month of May at $283.9 billion versus $280.7 billion at the end of April, representing an […]

Monthly Sustainable Cash Flows: June 2018

Sustainable Funds End June at $285.9 Billion, Adding $1.9 Billion but Experiencing an Estimated $375.2 Million in Net Outflows The net assets of 1,025 sustainable funds, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs), ended the month of June with $285.9 billion in assets versus $283.9 billion at the end of May. Net […]

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