| Morningstar

While
investors
may
be
fretting
about
ESG
funds’
performance,
the
debate
about
sustainability
in
the
wider
world
has
become
more
intenes
and
divisive.
Companies
that
invest
in
fossil
fuels
such
as
asset
manager
Baillie
Gifford
and
Barclays
Bank,
have
effectively
been
shunted
off
sponsoring
UK
events
by
activist
pressure.
In
Baillie
Gifford’s
case,
the
company
was
forced
to
end
its
association
with
literary
festivals
in
the
UK
and
Barclays
is
withdrawing
from
its
sponsorship
of
music
festivals.

Governments
are
under
pressure
to
meet
climate
transition
targets,
and
it’s
clear
this
is
a
campaign
issue
as
the
UK
heads
towards
a
General
Election.
If
elected,

as
the
polls
suggest,
the
Labour
party
will
move
forward
a
ban
on
sales
of
petrol
and
diesel
vehicles
to
2030,
rather
than
2035. 

In
this
period
when
reputational
risk
seems
so
high,
and
every
listed
company
can
be
linked
to
some
global
controversy,
it’s
hard
for
investors
to
make
confident
decisions
about
ESG
products.
“Greenwashing”,
where
funds
are
dubiously
badged
as
sustainable
but
still
carry
ESG
risk,
also
makes
life
harder
for
investors.

This
week
we’ll
cover
the
key
issues
surrounding
ESG
investment
and
help
tune
out
from
the
noise.

Here’s
a
selection
of
some
of
the
key
articles
coming
up
this
week:

Monday

To
start
the
week,
we’ve
profiled

the
best-performing
funds
with
a
high
Morningstar
Sustainability
Rating. 

We’re
also
looking
at
the
issue
of
fund
flows,
and
where
investors
are
putting
their
money
in
sustainable
strategies.
Is
there
a
sign
of
a
turnaround
after
a
long
period
of
outflows?

We
also
profile
some
wind
energy
stocks
and
whether
they
are
now
screening
as
undervalued
after
a
tricky
few
years.

Tuesday

The
UK
market
is
often
described
as
an
anti-ESG
index
because
of
the
dominance
of
natural
resources
stocks.
How
true
is
this
in
reality?

Green
bond
funds
have
become
popular
in
recent
years,
but
higher
interest
rates
have
made
some
of
their
projects
less
viable.
Is
this
about
to
change
as
rates
come
down?

Wednesday

In
the
middle
of
the
week,
we’re
looking
at
stocks
held
by
the
best-performing
ESG
funds.

And
with
private
capital
growing
in
importance,
we
will
run
an
interview
with
Ver
Capital
on
the
energy
transition.

Thursday

And
we’ll
also
speak
to
asset
manager
Comgest
about
job
losses
in
the
asset
management
industry
because
of
the
ESG
downturn.

Friday

With
the
United
States
heading
to
the
polls
this
year,
climate
change
will
be
front
and
centre.
The
incumbent
Biden
administration
has
already
earmarked
billions
of
dollars
on
renewable
infrastructure.
If
the
Republican
party
returns
to
power,
what
will
that
mean
for
the
US
renewable
stocks
that
have
been
supercharged
by
government
spending
so
far?

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