Original, independent, thought leadership

Inaugural standards issued by International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)

The Bottom Line:  ISSB reporting standards covering sustainability-related risks and opportunities companies face over varying time intervals have the potential to achieve widespread adoption worldwide. International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), a unit of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), this week issued its inaugural reporting standards Following an intensive eighteen-month effort, the International Sustainability Standards […]

SRA Select Listing: ESG Integration Investment Funds-Q1 2022

Sustainable investors can establish cost-effective diversified portfolios of funds that pursue an ESG Integration investing approach aligned with their financial profile and risk tolerance (1). Summary Sustainable investors seeking to establish a diversified investment fund portfolio that pursues an ESG Integration investing approach, as defined and  based on the criteria set out below, should consider […]

Investment Company Institute (ICI) endorses first-time ESG Roadmap

The Bottom Line:  Investment Company Institute (ICI) endorsement of a first-time ESG Roadmap represents another step forward in a process of clarifying sustainable investment strategies. Board of Governors of the Investment Company Institute (ICI) endorsed a first-time ESG Roadmap Last week, the Board of Governors of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the US regulated funds […]

What are Publicly Listed Asset Managers Saying about Sustainable Investing During 2020 Earnings Calls?

The Bottom Line:  “ESG is just an absolute necessity for any investment organization to be deeply engaged in,” according to Marty Flanagan, CEO, Invesco Ltd. What asset management companies are saying about sustainable (and ESG) investing?  Based on publicly listed asset management company 1Q/2Q 2020 earnings calls/earnings announcement comments and Q&As.  Coverage across large-to-small cap […]

Sustainable Funds Reporting Round Up: April 2020

The Bottom Line: Recent sustainable fund annual or semi-annual report filings that disclose performance results and offer commentary on sustainable investment strategies, decisions and outcomes. Note of Explanation:  The commentary appearing in this document represents excerpts taken from selected semi-annual and annual reports recently published by sustainable mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).  The intention […]

BlackRock’s Client Letter Raises Bar on Disclosures

BlackRock, in letter to clients, commits to greater transparency and disclosure that could, in turn, raise the bar for sustainable investment fund disclosures generally and stimulate the development of industry-wide definitions and standards Sustainable investing(1) may be reaching a critical juncture. Assets in mutual funds and ETFs in the US sourced to sustainable investing strategies […]

Sustainable Funds Reporting Roundup: July 2019

The July edition excerpts 3/31/2019 and 4/30/2019 annual reports filed in June and July by VanEck Vectors Green Bond ETF, iShares MSCI KLD 400 Social ETF and Boston Common ESG Impact Funds, both US and International. The commentary appearing in this document offers excerpts taken from recently posted annual reports published by sustainable mutual funds […]

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