Financial advisors across ten major markets say ESG investing is a growth opportunity for their businesses due to increasing demand from retail clients.
Nine in 10 out of 800 advisors surveyed say products such as those making a positive environmental impact are an opportunity to forge closer ties with clients and over two thirds of the advisors had introduced the subject of responsible investing to their clients.
The report by Franklin Templeton and NMG Consulting found nine in 10 respondents in Italy and France – the highest scoring countries on this question – allocated investments to ESG products and that Swedish advisors led the way with allocations to “socially responsible” and “impact” investments. In the UK, 87% of advisors had clients invested in ESG, slightly higher than in wider Europe.
Respondents to the survey were also from Asia and North America.
Julie Moret, global head of ESG at Franklin Templeton, said: “The growing relevancy of environmental issues linked to climate transition, natural resource scarcity and efficiency is undoubtedly driving greater interest in ESG products and solutions. Regulatory pressures are also accelerating these themes.”
