The Money Management Institute and Morningstar have launched a sustainable investing initiative to help educate advisors about environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, which are becoming increasingly popular among investors and asset managers.
By year end 2016, sustainable, responsible and impact (SRI) investing accounted for $1 out of every $5 under professional management in the U.S., a total $8.72 trillion which was 33% more than in 2014, according to the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment Foundation (US SIF).
The MMI/Morningstar sustainability program will include workshops, forums and educational content from experts in the field "to provide financial advisors with the knowledge they need to engage with their clients on the topic and recommend appropriate investments," according to press release.
Eaton Vance affiliate Calvert Research and Management, Merrill Lynch and FlexShares Exchange Traded Funds at Northern Trust Asset Management will serve as leadership sponsors of the initiative, helping to underwrite the program and course development, and Morningstar will contribute data and analysis and co-host events with MMI, according to MMI President and CEO Craig Pfeiffer.
"We are committed to advancing ESG engagement to mirror what's happening in the marketplace," said Pfeiffer. "Leading asset management firms are ramping up the development and delivery of ESG-driven investment solutions as investor demand—particular from women and millennials—for responsible investment strategies continues to grow."
