{"id":53762,"date":"2022-10-05T16:44:36","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T08:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/?p=53762"},"modified":"2022-11-25T19:00:17","modified_gmt":"2022-11-25T11:00:17","slug":"principal-responsible-investing-esg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/principal-responsible-investing-esg","title":{"rendered":"What Is Sustainable Investing And Should You Invest Into It?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Did you know that one of the key themes in the 12th Malaysia Plan<\/a> is to focus on advancing sustainability? This is part of our country\u2019s plan to become a carbon-neutral country by 2050<\/a>, which includes companies adopting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices.<\/p>\n Now, you\u2019re probably wondering, \u201cWhat does ESG have to do with me?<\/em>\u201d and \u201cIs this something I should invest in?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Well, we will try to explain what ESG is, what the benefits are for investing in it, and how you can get started.<\/p>\n ESG is an acronym for Environmental, Social, and Governance. It is a holistic approach that companies adopt for sustainability efforts that goes beyond just environmental issues.<\/p>\n As to what that means, here\u2019s a quick rundown of what each letter means:<\/p>\n E for Environmental<\/strong><\/p>\n The environmental component of ESG is how the company affects the planet with:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n S for Social<\/strong><\/p>\n This is focused on areas that affect the company\u2019s employees, consumers, customers, community, or even suppliers through:<\/p>\n G for Governance<\/strong><\/p>\n This refers to the leadership, shareholders, and overall business ethics aspects of a company that is accountable for:<\/p>\n As to how it relates to investing, ESG-compliant investing means putting your money into investments that are socially responsible, or in other words, sustainable investments.<\/p>\n Aside from the obvious fact that you will be investing in companies that aim to make the world a better place, there are other potential benefits that come with putting your money towards ESG investment.<\/p>\n ESG quality may be associated with lower risk, and when a company has a high ESG rating or score,\u00a0 it has the potential for lower volatility compared to its non-ESG peers based on a report by Morningstar in 2020<\/a>. And when you have a portfolio with the potential for lower volatility, then it may have a potential for higher risk-adjusted returns.<\/p>\n An ESG rating measures the company\u2019s exposure to long-term environmental, social, and governance risks.<\/p>\n Typically, the higher the rating or score of the company or holdings, the better it is at managing those risks.<\/p>\n <\/div><\/div>\n ESG investments could be capable of delivering comparable, or even outperforming<\/a>, investments that do not integrate ESG practices, as they are generally considered better-run from a governance perspective.<\/p>\n Companies that are focused on ESG may have sustainability strategies which may lead to better risk management, better operational efficiency, more cost savings, more innovation, and lower employee turnover. All of those factors have the potential to increase shareholder value<\/a> and help financial performance.<\/p>\n In addition to the 12th Malaysia Plan, our country has started to show more interest in ESG investing with more companies listed within the ESG index, FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia <\/a>(F4GBM).<\/p>\n A study conducted by PwC Malaysia<\/a> also shows that more financial institutions are making efforts toward ESG imperative with 90% of the 14 Malaysian banks polled assigning departments to operationalize ESG.<\/p>\n Principal\u00ae Malaysia is a part of Principal Financial Group\u00ae<\/sup> (Nasdaq: PFG), a global financial company with 18,500 employees<\/a> passionate about improving the wealth and well-being of people and businesses. PFG has been in business for more than 140 years, helping more than 51 million customers plan<\/a>, protect, invest, and retire, while working to support the communities where we do business, and build a diverse, inclusive workforce.<\/p>\n As signatories to the Malaysian Code of Institutional Investors (MCII) and United Nations Principles of Responsible Investment (UNPRI), Principal Malaysia is committed to driving sustainable practices in its business and influencing corporate behaviour in the investments they make for its customers. Learn more<\/a> about their commitment to Sustainable investing.<\/p>\n The Sustainable Development Goals<\/a> are a blueprint created by the United Nations to achieve a better and more sustainable world for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. There are 17 goals in total, which are:<\/p>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/span>Understanding the basics of ESG<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span>What are the benefits of ESG-compliant investing?<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lower volatility \/ lower risk<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/span>2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Comparable performance to non-ESG compliant peers<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/span>4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The ESG boom in Malaysia<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/span>Learn more about Principal\u2019s commitment to Sustainable investing and ESG<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>What are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)?<\/span><\/h3>\n
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