In bull market, investors still putting money into ESG funds but at much slower pace

SOME may say that ESG has lost much of its shine in the corporate world, but the environmental, social and governance investment principles behind the outmoded acronym will likely live on.

The US Environmental Social & Governance investing category was the biggest (and most profitable) thing on Wall Street in the generally bullish period from 2009 to 2022. As is often the case with “the next big things” after a boom, ESG is now remembered as one of the biggest busts of the bear market.

ESG mutual funds and exchange-traded funds promised investors – particularly the younger and environmentally conscious group – that they could “do good while doing well”.