With a view to the Ukraine war, the multiple regions of crisis or the extreme inflation, one would be forgiven for thinking that sustainability issues were taking a back seat when it came to investing. Gerold Permoser, Chief Investment Officer of Erste Asset Management, claims that this is not the case and that there is a lot of potential for investors. In a recent press talk, he and Heinz Bednar, CEO, presented five key drivers for ESG investments.
Artikel zu “sustainable investments”
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.
A sustainable story of success
In July, the ERSTE RESPONSIBLE STOCK GLOBAL fund will celebrate its 20th anniversary. During its history so far, the fund has achieved a highly successful performance while the world of sustainable investments has changed fundamentally.
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: 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.
World Climate Conference COP26: Leverage needed for investments in climate protection
On the occasion of the climate conference in Glasgow, Erste Asset Management and the environmental protection organization WWF Austria draw attention to the urgency of quick decisions and huge climate protection investments.
A green label does not necessarily mean green on the inside
Funds marketing themselves as green investment do not always focus on companies that fight climate change, develop solar modules or recycle batteries. Instead, many of them look like traditional portfolios holding large tech companies – yet they wear green labels.
Sustainability-linked bonds – an alternative to green bonds?
Green bonds are securities that are allocated to specific energy and environmental projects and are intended to contribute to a climate-friendly transformation of the economy. According to a study by the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI), they reached a record level of $269. 5 billion in 2020. Sustainability-Linked Bonds represent a voluntary commitment for issuers. How exactly they work is explained in our analysis.
ESG bonds made in the USA
ESG bonds are currently on the rise and are becoming an increasingly important part of corporate bonds. According to BofA Securities, 13. 5% of all new issues with ESG criteria were already issued globally in the first half of 2021. This trend is well established in Europe and is also increasing in the USA, as the following analysis shows.
Erste Asset Management pulls the plug on coal on 1 July
We are pulling the plug on coal, abstaining from investments in companies that operate in the fields of coal mining or the production of electricity or fuel from coal from 1 July 2021 onwards.