A majority (55%) of Americans are more likely to invest in sustainable funds for their more attractive return profile, according to a study on investor attitudes toward sustainable investing conducting internationally by Schroders.
The survey, of more than 23,000 investors globally, including 2,000 in the U.S., found that only 4% cited they will not invest in sustainable funds due to a perception of inferior returns, down from 27% in 2018.
While climate change is still high on the agenda, social issues, particularly human capital management and the treatment of workers are at the top of American’s concerns regarding corporate behavior. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being extremely important, the two key factors that ranked the highest for Americans were social responsibility at 7.69 and treatment of staff at 7.63.
Communication and education are key to adoption, Schroders said.
“Just two years ago, 57% of Americans cited that they lacked adequate information around sustainable investing,” the company said in a release. “In contrast, today, 53% of American financial advisors are providing information on sustainable investing almost every time they speak to their clients. This is significantly higher than the global average of 33%.”
Most firms think they are ready for the ultra high net worth market. Most are not.
Stifel has paid or is on the hook for close to a staggering $200 million in damages and settlements to former clients of Chuck Roberts.
UBS also expanded in the Southeast with six advisors overseeing more than $2 billion, while Osaic lured a $300 million family-led practice from Wells Fargo's FiNet.
The new AI workspace rollout promises to automate the full advisor workflow just as third-party tools wage a turf war for central control of wealth firms' tech stacks.
Mega-RIA picks up $250M advisor, while three firms head for &Partners.
Direct indexing is on pace to outgrow ETFs and mutual funds. Northern Trust's Ken Lassner explains why the advisors who get it wish they had started sooner.
As $84 trillion prepares to change hands, advisors who treat estate planning as peripheral are quietly building a sieve, not a book.
