At this months Finance Focus we looked at ESG Investing and thanks to Tom Barton from Brewin Dolphin for his presentation. This was followed by a general update and discussion led by Chris Mould and Julie Mole from Crowe.

Please contact Tom or regular Finance Focus attendees from Brewin Helen Farley-Higgs and Paul Nurden if you want to know more.

Tom – Thomas.Barton@brewin.co.uk

Helen – Helen.Farleyhiggs@brewin.co.uk

Paul – paul.nurden@brewin.co.uk

Environmental, Social And Governance: What Is ESG Investing?

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is a strategy you can use to put your money to work with companies that strive to make the world a better place. ESG investing relies on independent ratings that help you assess a company’s behavior and policies when it comes to environmental performance, social impact and governance issues.

“At its core, ESG investing is about influencing positive changes in society by being a better investor,”

Here’s a closer look at the three criteria used to evaluate companies for ESG investing:

Environment. What kind of impact does a company have on the environment? This can include a company’s carbon footprint, toxic chemicals involved in its manufacturing processes and sustainability efforts that make up its supply chain.
Social. How does the company improve its social impact, both within the company and in the broader community? Social factors include everything from LGBTQ+ equality, racial diversity in both the executive suite and staff overall, and inclusion programs and hiring practices. It even looks at how a company advocates for social good in the wider world, beyond its limited sphere of business.
Governance. How does the company’s board and management drive positive change? Governance includes everything from issues surrounding executive pay to diversity in leadership as well as how well that leadership responds to and interacts with shareholders.

For many people, ESG investing goes beyond a three-letter acronym to address how a company serves all its stakeholders: workers, communities, customers, shareholders and the environment.

Toms’ Slides can be downloaded here: C2S ESG Presentation

Listen to the presentation: