Investing in FAANGs: Ethical concerns over companies beginning to bite

Why tech firms must improve ESG credentials

As responsible and sustainable investors, we are often asked for our opinion on the FAANG stocks and whether we would deem these suitable investments.

The firms which make up this collective - Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Alphabet (Google) - are the undisputed heavyweights of the tech world, with a combined market capitalisation of more than $3trn. Their rise to the top has been relentless in recent years, driven by strong growth and underpinned by disruptive business models, all focused around products or services credited with changing our day-to-day lives.  As the FAANGs have gathered momentum over the past few years, institutional investors have thrown their weight behind them. If you look at the factsheet of almost a...