Day69. Financial term | ESG

ESG investment is an investment approach that incorporates Environmental, Social, and Governance factors into investment decisions. It emphasizes focusing on a company's social responsibility, environmental protection, and governance efficiency while seeking profitability, aiming to achieve sustainable long-term investment returns.

The fundamental principle of ESG investment is the belief that excellent environmental and social practices, along with strong corporate governance, can enhance a company's value and performance, reduce risks, and promote sustainable economic growth.

By investing in companies that perform well in ESG factors, investors can encourage these companies to improve their business practices while also generating more robust investment returns for themselves.

For example:

Company A and Company B are two energy companies in the same industry. Company A has been neglecting environmental and social responsibilities in recent years, failing to take measures to reduce carbon emissions or support community projects. On the contrary, Company B actively focuses on sustainability, implementing a series of environmental initiatives and participating in social charity projects.

Investors compared these two companies and adopted an ESG investment strategy. They found that Company B's stock outperformed Company A's stock over the past 5 years. Specifically, Company B's stock price increased by 80%, while Company A's stock price only rose by 30%.

This example demonstrates that ESG factors have a certain impact on investment performance. Company B's commitment to ESG values also led to better investment returns, attracting more favor from ESG investors.

ESG investment is continuously growing globally. Many investors believe that ESG factors can not only bring positive impacts on society and the environment but also provide sustainable growth in investment returns.

However, it's important to note that ESG investment is not absolute, meaning ESG factors are just one of the factors influencing a company's stock price. Stock price movements are also closely related to financial data, market sentiment, and other factors.

Additionally, there are two points to consider when engaging in ESG investment:

1. Industry differences: ESG challenges and opportunities vary across different industries. Investors should understand the characteristics of the company's industry and consider how industry factors affect ESG performance.

2. Long-term perspective: ESG investment is a long-term investment strategy, and investors should focus on a company's long-term sustainability performance, not just short-term financial indicators.

Overall, ESG investment is an investment strategy that combines sustainability values with investment returns. Investors should comprehensively consider a company's ESG performance, industry characteristics, and long-term sustainability, along with fundamental factors when engaging in ESG investment.