Canadian institutional investors are standing by environmental, social and governance integration despite pushback from other countries, according to a new report by the Responsible Investment Association.
Indeed, almost all (96 per cent) respondents said they use ESG integration in a way that covers 87 per cent of their entire assets under management. About seven in 10 (69 per cent) investors said they’re confident in the overall quality of ESG reporting available to them.
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A strong majority (91 per cent) of respondents said they were also confident in their own organization’s internal reporting methods. However, the report found calls for greater standardization and independent assurance remain strong.
Risk from climate change events (94 per cent), net-zero targets (82 per cent) and diversity and inclusion (82 per cent) were the leading issues that respondents flagged.
Despite global discussions around sustainable finance shifting, the data in the report shows Canadian investors are still committed to the responsible investment movement, said Patricia Fletcher, chief executive officer at RIA, in a press release.
“Investors are no longer asking whether sustainability belongs in financial analysis. The focus is now on how RI is implemented with integrity and impact.”
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