Get Real! Individuals Prefer More Sustainable Investments

Будьте реалистами! Люди предпочитают более устойчивые инвестиции
Rob Bauer, Tobias Ruof, Paul Smeets
2021-04-12

Sustainable Development Goalspension fundsreal votesocial preferencessustainable investments
Abstract The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have created societal and political pressure for pension funds to address sustainable investing. We run two field surveys (n = 1,669, n = 3,186) with a pension fund that grants its members a real vote on its sustainable-investment policy. Two-thirds of participants are willing to expand the fund’s engagement with companies based on selected SDGs, even when they expect engagement to hurt financial performance. Support remains strong after the fund implements the choice. A key reason is participants’ strong social preferences.
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Approximately two-thirds of participants supported expanding engagement with companies based on selected Sustainable Development Goals.
2
Participants supported stronger sustainability engagement even when they expected it to reduce financial performance.
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Strong social preferences were identified as a key reason participants favored more sustainable investments.
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Support for the selected sustainable-investment policy remained strong after the pension fund implemented members’ choice.
5
Two field surveys involving 1,669 and 3,186 pension-fund members examined preferences for sustainable-investment policy through a real member vote.

pension-fund members’ sustainable-investment policy preferences

willingness to expand company engagement based on selected SDGs despite expected financial-performance losses, and the role of social preferences

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Publication Date
2021-04-12
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Authors
Rob Bauer
Tobias Ruof
Paul Smeets
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