According to a study from Morningstar Indexes, pension funds and other asset owners in North America and Europe are adopting sustainable investment practices for their portfolios. Based on the “Voice of the Asset Owner” survey, which was based on 14 interviews with asset owners, pension funds saw ESG investments as a core element of investing. The asset owners stated that the inclusion of ESG investments was being driven by both their conviction in sustainable investing and client demand. The fund managers believe that ESG enhances their investment processes and does not subtract from investment returns. While implementing ESG can challenging due to shifting definitions and standards, their clients view climate as a big concern and are urging them to address global warming. While ESG has become a hot political topic in the U.S., pension funds are full steam ahead with ESG in their portfolios.

Finsum: Due to client demand and a conviction in sustainable investing, more and more pension funds are incorporating ESG strategies as a core element in their portfolios.