How to find ESG investments that align with your social views
BNN Bloomberg
The heightened public awareness of social issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and high profile movements such as Black Lives Matter and .MeToo has begun to affect the way younger investors think about how they spend their money, experts say.
TORONTO -- The heightened public awareness of social issues brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and high profile movements such as Black Lives Matter and .MeToo has begun to affect the way younger investors think about how they spend their money, experts say.
When it comes to responsible investing -- which takes environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into consideration -- investors are starting to ask, "who are the people behind the companies they invest with, and what are those people doing to help other people," said Joss Biggins, an investment advisor at EthicInvest, which operates under the umbrella of Leede Jones Gable Inc., in Vancouver.
While many of Biggins' clients across generational lines share similar values when it comes to responsible investing, his younger clients do seem to be at the forefront asking how their investments can help change the world.
" 1/8Social issues 3/8 are pervading the cultural narrative more than they probably ever have in the past," said David O'Leary, founder and investment consultant at Kind Wealth in Toronto. However, he said that social issues more often affect how people spend their money, as opposed to how they invest.
This can be due to a lack of knowledge around their responsible investing options, and that finding the right financial professionals to help them in this area can be difficult, O'Leary explained.
When looking for an investment professional to help you make a social impact, Biggins recommends visiting the Responsible Investment Association's (RIA) website and searching their directory of responsible investing advisers.
