Active Funds Used To Integrate ESG

Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of investors prefer to use active funds to integrate ESG (environmental, social, and governance), with equities (80 per cent) over bonds (58 per cent) as the most popular asset class globally to gain ESG exposure, says a study by the Capital Group. Its ‘ESG Global Study 2022’ shows ESG adoption is now widespread, with the proportion of ESG users jumping to 89 per cent, up from 84 per cent in 2021. Asia-Pacific saw the largest increase in ESG users of any region over last year (88 per cent versus 81 per cent in 2021). Among those surveyed, meeting client needs (27 per cent) and making a positive impact (25 per cent) are the most-cited motivations for adopting ESG. However, North American investors attach much more weight to meeting client needs (42 per cent), while European investors are most driven by making a positive impact (28 per cent). Among the three regions, Asia-Pacific investors put the most weight to improving performance (21 per cent) as a driver for ESG adoption. The survey also found more Europeans stating ESG is “central” to their investment approach (31 per cent versus 26 per cent globally), while investors in North America have the least conviction in ESG, with less than one in five reporting ESG as central to their investment approach (18 per cent).