ESG GLOBAL STUDY

ESG perspectives from global investors

Aerial view of a water DAM

This year, 1,130 professional investors in 24 countries and regions participated in our annual environmental, social and governance (ESG) global study and shared their perspectives on ESG trends, risks and opportunities.

Here are three of our key findings:

AI could help tackle ESG data challenges

This bar chart shows the global ESG adoption rates for all surveyed investment professionals from 2021 through 2023. The ESG adoption rate was 84% in 2021 and rose to 90% in 2023.

Data is still the number one challenge to ESG adoption. The rapid development of AI has given investors hope that this emerging technology might help solve the ESG data puzzle.

 

Learn more on page 23.

 

AI brings new ESG risks

These bars show the percentage of surveyed investment professionals in our 2023 ESG global survey that are conducting proprietary ESG analysis, which is 40%, and increasing the size and expertise of ESG teams, which is 37%.

* % Rank 1 + 2 + 3

More than three-quarters of respondents view data protection and privacy as posing the most material AI-related ESG risks for investment. More than half of respondents are concerned about the risk stemming from AI’s high power consumption.

 

Learn more on page 27.

Multi-thematic strategies gain popularity

This bar chart shows the global ESG adoption rates for all surveyed investment professionals from 2021 through 2023. The ESG adoption rate was 84% in 2021 and rose to 90% in 2023.

* % Rank 1 + 2 + 3

Investors are attracted to multi-thematic exposures for the perceived benefits of diversification, potential for better risk-adjusted returns and broader ESG impact. Though environmental themes have consistently been the most important when selecting ESG funds, investors are targeting a broad range of themes including health and well-being, and sustainable cities and communities.

 

Learn more on page 17.

 

* Each number represents the combined percentage of respondents that choose the given answer as their first, second or third choice.

Go deeper

Want more insights from the latest Capital Group ESG Global Study?

Explore our earlier reports to discover how ESG attitudes and adoption have evolved:

2022 Chapter 1    I     2022 Chapter 2    I   2023

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Find all the latest research and insights in our ESG perspectives library

Analysis of material ESG issues, alongside other considerations, helps us identify investment risks and opportunities. They can be, but are not necessarily, determinative to an investment decision.

Past results are not a guarantee of future results. The value of investments and income from them can go down as well as up and you may lose some or all of your initial investment. This information is not intended to provide investment, tax or other advice, or to be a solicitation to buy or sell any securities.
Statements attributed to an individual represent the opinions of that individual as of the date published and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Capital Group or its affiliates. All information is as at the date indicated unless otherwise stated. Some information may have been obtained from third parties, and as such the reliability of that information is not guaranteed.