ESG Interest Is Surging. Where Are the Advisors?

Advisors themselves could also be part of the reason, since an aging pool of advisors — 36% of whom expect to retire in the next 10 years — are not exactly rushing to become experts in ESG investing, something they may not really understand, or in rethinking their existing investment strategies.

If asset managers take it upon themselves to “recruit” advisors by helping them understand how to incorporate ESG factors into client portfolios and to feel comfortable talking about them, that could lead to broader adoption of ESG investment products. In addition, managers will have to show advisors that ESG doesn’t mean lower returns; with new products developing track records, they need to demonstrate market-level returns.

“Data-driven educational material and more hands-on training will ultimately be what’s required,” Powers points out in the report, adding, “This effort will necessitate cooperation from asset managers supplying the product and their distribution partners (e.g., broker/dealer home offices, registered investment advisor custodians) that have built out the platforms for advisors to access the strategies.”

But that’s not all, he continues. “Moreover, the advisor should have the necessary training to break down complex investment products and help their clients understand them. Therefore, helping them apply these skills to talk about ESG strategies with their clients will be essential. Investor education should be a focus too, preferably through broader, more scalable digital marketing channels.”

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