ESG: Aligning Ideals to Investment Goals

By Jens Peers, CFA®

ESG That Makes the Difference

Jens Peers, manager of the Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Strategy talks about the solutions required to combat climate change and the impact ESG might have on portfolios.

  • How do we adapt portfolios to combat climate change?
    Energy transition requires divesting from fossil fuels (like coal and oil for instance) while investing in parallel in solutions for climate change such as energy efficiency or renewable energy.
  • Can you demonstrate to clients that you practice what you preach?
    Engagement with companies, individually on a regular basis or collectively with other asset owners or asset managers, is of paramount importance. Voting policy is also an important tool to put pressure on companies. Investors are increasingly interested in assessing the impact of their investments, for instance by measuring their carbon footprint.
  • Does a focus on ESG impact performance?
    Mirova portfolio has a dual objective: it aims at outperforming broad markets and achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
  • How do you think this should fit into a diversified investment portfolio?
    A Sustainable Equity portfolio defines itself through the integration of ESG factors into the investment process. But it retains its characteristics as Global Equity Investment and there is no reason to treat it differently in terms of portfolio allocation.
Published in December 2019.

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