A survey by independent investment consultancy Redington has revealed that nearly half of all asset managers are unable to provide an example of a sell decision driven by ESG factors within the last 12 months.
The research, published Tuesday, showed that 43% of surveyed asset managers had not evidenced implementing ESG into their selling decisions, while 35% had not evidenced implementing ESG into their buying decisions.
The investment consultant engaged with 122 managers across a range of geographies, covering 232 strategies and an aggregated $37.7 trillion in combined assets under management.
Nick Samuels, Redington’s head of manager research, said that while it was encouraging to see some asset managers had taken steps to incorporate ESG, “there is a long way to go when it comes to taking actions for real-world outcomes that are truly going to move the dial on some of the most challenging sustainability issues of our time.”
The report also found that fewer asset managers are aligning their remuneration policies with sustainable investment metrics than in previous years, with 62% doing so this year compared to 70% in 2021.
Samuels added that Redington hopes to see a reversal in this trend next year, based on a belief that individual incentivization is the clearest indicator that sustainable investment is truly integrated.
Redington concluded with a warning that the investment industry and asset management community must collaborate on sustainability and stewardship going forward in order to truly promote and effect change.