Climate change and environmental issues dominate investor concerns when it comes to ESG, with diversity ranking low on the agenda, according to research by Smith & Williamson Investment Management.
Although 2020 saw a 20% rise in the number of high net worth individuals (HNWIs) considering ESG in their investment decisions, only 9% of HNWIs placed diversity as an important ESG issue. Over half (55%) of HNWIs placed climate change risk as a top three ESG issue that the companies they invest in should care about. Among those who said they are more likely to consider ESG in their investment decisions now, 75% were motivated by the greater media spotlight placed on environmental issues by activists such as Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough. Showing the imbalanced ESG priorities...
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