LOS J and K require us to:
j. describe environmental and social considerations in investment analysis;
k. describe how environmental, social, and governance factors may be used in investment analysis.
Environmental or Social Factors Affecting Company
Some of the important factors affecting the company are:
1.1. Sustainable/Responsible Investing
There should be the practice of considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in the investment process. One can consider the existence of real environmental risk associated with investing.
1.2. Impact Investing
This seeks to achieve targeted social or environmental objectives along with measurable financial results.
1.3. Universal Owners
They are the long-term investors having significant assets invested in diversified portfolios that are representatives of global capital markets. They are also exposed to the costs of environmental damage.
1.4. Other Factors
The other factors that need to be considered are:
a. Natural resource management,
b. Pollution prevention,
c. Energy efficiency,
d. Reduced emissions,
e. Water conservation,
f. Stranded assets, that are no longer economically viable due to changing recommendations,
g. Social factors, such as human rights, workplace welfare, community impact, etc., and
h. Adherence to environmental safety and regulatory standards.
ESG Implementation Methods
There are many ESG implementation methods, such as:
a. Negative Screening. This involves excluding certain sectors or companies that violate accepted standards in such areas as human rights or environmental concerns.
b. Positive Screening and Best-in-Class. This involves focusing on investments with positive ESG aspects.
c. Thematic Investing. This typically considers a single factor such as energy efficiency or climatic change, for investing.