Investing for financial returns, for social and economic equity, and to save the environment
Material issues
Considering environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in investment decisions.
Enriching lives through socially responsible investment funds.
Empowering transformation through financing (reporting split between ‘Enriching lives through socially responsible investment funds’ and ‘Enterprise Development’).
Investing responsibly involves both the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into mainstream investment decision-making and socially responsible investment (SRI) focused products. While the focus for responsible investing in financial services companies and their reporting has in the past been primarily focused on SRI funds and products, these constitute only a fraction of total investment.
Financial services companies are becoming increasingly aware of the need to focus on the larger portion of the investment pie, and to start integrating ESG factors into all investment decisions. This will involve engaging with companies rather than simply screening and avoiding stocks on ESG grounds, although this may be appropriate for some investors and is the focus of SRI funds. Old Mutual’s response to both approaches to investing responsibly is discussed in this section.