European investors remain sceptical on ESG

Responsible investing lowers returns, survey claims

More than half of European professional investors believe strategies that incorporate ESG factors into investment decisions will lead to lower returns on their investments, according to a survey.

The survey, carried out by Dutch firm NN Investment Partners (NNIP), found 52% of respondents still thought they must sacrifice returns in order to invest responsibly. However, the same survey showed those professional investors were willing to sacrifice returns - to the tune of 2.4% per year - if it means their investments have a positive ESG impact. One in ten said they would forgo between 4.1% and 5% per year. The 'Greta Effect': Surge in eco-awareness driving 'most significant' period of ESG inflows Jeroen Bos, head of specialised equities and responsible investing at NNIP, sai...