Invest Tech: ESG v Activists

Introduction

The investment world has used Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria to guide asset allocation, particularly as a tool for climate activists to evaluate corporate impact on climate change. ESG served as a sort of gatekeeper, determining which companies were 'worthy' of investment based on their performance in these three categories. However, recent trends indicate a waning influence of ESG in its traditional form, giving way to more nuanced, targeted, and perhaps less overtly political forms of activist investing.

The Decline of ESG

- Political Backlash: ESG investing has faced criticism for being too politically motivated, leading to pushback from various quarters who argue that investment decisions should be based on financial merit rather than political ideology.

- Lack of Standardization: The absence of uniform standards for what constitutes good or bad performance in ESG metrics has led to confusion and skepticism about their reliability.

- Performance Concerns: Some studies have highlighted that ESG funds do not always outperform traditional funds, questioning their added value from a purely financial perspective.

The Continuance of Activist Investing

Despite the diminishing clout of ESG, the core objectives of responsive investing continue, although through different methods:

1. Impact Investing

- Method: Instead of broad categorizations, investors now focus on specific impacts, like reducing carbon emissions or improving labor conditions, with clear, measurable outcomes.

- Technology: Data analytics and AI are used to track and predict real-world impacts of investments, ensuring alignment with investor goals.

2. Thematic Investing

- Method: Investment in themes such as clean tech, health care, or education, which inherently support sustainable or social goals without the need for a comprehensive ESG score.

- Technology: Machine learning algorithms to identify companies fitting these themes, offering a more targeted approach.

3. Custom Scoring Models

- Method: Investors or funds develop proprietary models that might overlap with ESG but are tailored to specific criteria that resonate with their investment philosophy.

- Technology: Custom algorithms and big data analytics to create unique scoring systems.

4. Corporate Engagement and Shareholder Activism

- Method: Investors engage directly with companies to push for changes in policy or practice, focusing on sustainability or governance without relying on ESG labels.

- Technology: Platforms for managing shareholder engagements, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Tech Requirements for Investment Management

- Robust Portfolio Compliance Systems: As criteria shift from ESG to other metrics, compliance systems must be adaptable, ensuring investments meet the new standards or restrictions set by investors.

- Portfolio Rebalancing Functions: With the integration of proxy instruments or alternative assets, portfolio managers need sophisticated tools to rebalance portfolios while adhering to new investment guidelines. These functions would include:

   - Proxy Instruments: Allowing managers to maintain investment objectives through indirect exposure when direct investment in certain sectors is restricted.

   - Interim Position Adjustments: Tools to manage temporary shifts in portfolio composition to comply with both new restrictions and maintain optimal asset allocation.

Conclusion

While the traditional ESG framework might be losing its grip, the essence of what it aimed to achieve - sustainable, responsible investment - will continue through more refined, data-driven, and less politically charged methods. Investment technology plays a crucial role in this evolution, providing the means to analyze, track, and act upon new investment criteria that align with both monetary and social goals. This shift showcases not the end of ethical investing but its transformation into a more tailored, impactful practice.