The Rising Importance of ESG for Hedge Funds

Over the past few decades, ESG metrics (Environmental, Social, and Governance) have gone from a niche area of interest to an increasingly important determinant of which companies wind up within hedge fund portfolios. While ESG metrics remain far from perfect, fund managers no longer have the luxury of eschewing them. Rising attention to ESG metrics within the community at large has seen more and more money funnelled toward socially responsible investments, with industry experts predicting that ESG investments will reach $1 trillion by 2030.

In this virtual speaker series, ESG experts Michael Kraten and Toby Belsom will discuss several of the drivers behind ESG’s importance within the hedge funds. Topics covered will include:

• The emergence of global ESG capital markets and how it is impacting hedge fund investments
• The most important ESG factors to consider from a long-term asset management perspective, and how changing shareholder demands are driving them
• Looming regulations and policies regarding sustainability and their potential impact on ESG investing
• How to differentiate legitimate ESG efforts from window dressing within company reporting
• The ESG landscape in North America vs. Asia and Europe
• The key things limited partners should look for when ESG is part of a hedge fund portfolio