Author's Contributions
Sustainable investing 2026: From orange back to green?
Despite political headwinds, the outlook for sustainable investing is positive. Renewable energies are continuing to gain ground, but this trend is not yet fully reflected on the capital market. Read more in the blog post by Walter Hatak, Head of Responsible Investments.
Climate risks: Is climate change that bad?
This year’s September went down as the warmest in measurement history. Especially in our regions, it was a welcome extension of the summer for many. However, the warmer temperatures clearly show us the consequences of climate change. The risks this entails for the economy and companies and how we take these into account in our investment processes is the topic of our new ESGenius Letter.
Biodiversity – nature’s natural intelligence
The biodiversity crisis goes hand in hand with the loss of ecosystems and thus threatens our everyday life on earth. At the same time, despite all the crisis, we must not lose sight of the miracle of nature. Read more in the lead article of our new ESGenius Letter on the topic of “Biodiversity”.
World Water Day: by far more than “just” a vital resource
On World Water Day today, we are publishing the water footprint of our sustainable funds for the seventh time. Problems such as water shortages and the decline in groundwater levels have now also reached Europe. This makes it all the more important for companies to use our water resources responsibly and manage water risks sustainably.
Energy of the Future
There is no perfect solution to solve our energy problems in the long term, explains Walter Hatak, Head of Responsible Investments. But instead of burying our heads in the sand, we should be able to choose the best possible alternative, take the future into account in our planning, and learn from past mistakes.
ESG investments – “S” is for sexy?
Human rights, child labor, arms production, … – the range of social issues in the ESG universe is long. Besides environmental and governance aspects, social issues are becoming increasingly important when it comes to sustainable investment. A possible EU social taxonomy could bring new standards for sustainable investments and thus bring the “S” in ESG even more into focus.
And this year’s Nobel Peace Prize goes to …?
The European taxonomy created uniform criteria for sustainable investments. Nuclear power was also classified as green under certain conditions. Read the ESGenius Letter on the topic of “Green nuclear power?”.
Water risks in investment – more than just a drop in the bucket?
Drinking water is one of the earth’s limited resources. Water shortage can entail a variety of implications. On the occasion of World Water Day, Walter Hatak, Head of Responsible Investments at Erste Asset Management, analyzes the risks of water consumption.
ESG: Too much of a good thing?
For a long time, the ESG sceptics could not really be heard in all the noise around the megatrend that sustainability has become in recent years across all sectors. There is hardly a corporate strategy in sight that does not bring up sustainability, hardly a lifestyle product that does not come with a planted tree pledge when you are buying it.
What’s next after green? Social!
Twenty years ago, Erste AM launched its first sustainable fund, thus laid the cornerstone for sustainable investments in Austria. Since then, ESG investments (environmental, social, governance) have developed from a niche proposition to the dominant theme. Social aspects are increasingly coming to the fore.
Saving the world with an impact fund?
Can sustainable investment change the world? What is impact investing, and what does Erste AM offer in this respect? Do only sustainable investors make an impact, or do all investments have an impact on the future? Impact funds – the cherry on the cake of sustainable investing? For a long time, it would be up […]
Everybody will know someone who is affected by climate change
Will Europe become the first climate-neutral continent in the world? What has become of the climate movement? In recent months, Corona has completely ousted the issue of climate change from the media. Walter Hatak, Head of Sustainable Investments at Erste AM.
Interview with WALTER HATAK, Head of Investment Erste AM
According to the latest report from Forum for Sustainable Investments, the investments in sustainable funds/mandates (i.e. institutional clients) increased by 39% in 2019. What do you think is the reason for the drastic increase of this asset class? What has become clear during this crisis is that people are ready for big changes within short […]
Divesting oil – personal preface included
When I think back to my first school outing to the refinery in Schwechat (Lower Austria), the first thing that comes to mind are the excellent wiener sausages at the canteen. The highly complex processes involved in the refinement of crude oil, on the other hand, are hard to digest even for an adult. Divesting […]
Frankincense, myrrh, or gold? Have you found the right Christmas present yet?
The gifts of the three Magi to the new-born Christ Child are well known. Even back then, gold was of high value due to its scarceness and was regarded as a special kind of paying one’s respects to someone. Frankincense and myrrh have since then lost some of their appeal as gifts, but it is […]
Do you feel guilty about driving a car?
Do you feel guilty about driving a car? – What’s this question all about? Whereas the term flygskam (flight shame) has become popular outside of Sweden in recent years, there are far fewer people who feel they need to justify driving a car. It has become routine for booking websites to offer compensation options for […]
Searching for the hair in the (chicken)soup
ESG analysts look beyond traditional key ratios like cash flow and growth rates. They take a closer look and take into account the social and environmental aspects of a company.
Water risks in investments
On the occasion of the World Water Day on 22 March, Erste Asset Management (Erste AM) published its second water footprint for its sustainable equity funds. “We set an important milestone by publishing water risks last year in order to induce companies to release their own water data. Data coverage has improved significantly since then […]
Contra Big Data – When the algorithm knows too much
“If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to be afraid of”. What is at the core of this argument? More on our blog.
World Water Day 2018: Smoke on the water – the water footprint of sustainable investments
The World Water Day was first introduced on 22 March 1993. The goal was to anchor the meaning of water and thus the efficient use of this critical resource in the collective consciousness. Despite the long history, the importance of water from the point of view of risk has only recently gained in relevance.
More than a drop in the bucket?
The World Water Day was first introduced on 22 March 1993. The goal was to anchor the meaning of water and thus the efficient use of this critical resource in the collective consciousness. Despite the long history, the importance of water from the point of view of risk has only recently gained in relevance.