Futureproof: An ESG series

Funds may mislead with their marketing, rebranding portfolios as socially responsible investing.

Generating 'better beta' by reducing portfolio risk is the truer objective behind sustainability investing.

Evolution of how the ultra-wealthy view social capital is partly attributed to the rise of younger generations making their voices heard.

While the older generation is widely believed to be less concerned with ESG, this group of investors is increasingly realising the impact such issues can have on business outcomes.

Corporates in this region have been put on alert that ESG obligations go beyond shareholders.

Regional investors should meanwhile be wary of ESG-themed products that are too narrow in scope.

Businesses need to consider dominant long-term goals, and how to get there by de-conflicting short-term incongruent goals.