American sustainable funds outperform the market

SUSTAINABLE INVESTING, once a niche area of interest, has moved into the mainstream. Earlier this month a survey showed that 75% of American asset managers say their firms offer sustainable-investing strategies, which focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Almost 90% of fund managers think it is no longer just a fad. Young investors are driving the surge in interest: more than three-quarters of high-net-worth millennial and Generation Z investors have their assets reviewed for ESG impact.

Investing in line with your values is no longer just fashionable, it actually delivers value too. Last year was the worst for American investors since the financial crisis. Data released last week by Morningstar, a data-provider, showed that sustainable American funds outperformed the broader market and recorded their third-consecutive year of record inflows.