Sustainable Savers

Eco Warriors are the Greta Thunberg of the investment world. They care passionately about the environment and are on a mission to make the world a better place for future generations.

They are the proud Environmental E in ESG.

They live and breathe sustainability, eating and dressing responsibly, offsetting their carbon footprint, so that they don’t eat up the world’s resources. Mapping their money to sustainable goals are more important than financial returns – the planet is not a nice to have!

Most likely to say: “Of course I’m not going on a plane!”

Social Champions care about the planet and all things sustainability, but their main focus is people. They champion diversity and inclusion, fair pay and conditions, and believe governments should help the poorest in society through social housing and health care provision. What really lights their fire is how people are treated by society, employers and the Big Guys.

They want to back companies with good track records of taking care of people – society, communities, customers and staff – and this focus is not negotiable, no matter how shiny the potential returns.

Most likely to say: “I’m boycotting Amazon and Uber.”

Aspirational Greens are looking to avoid the nasties, whilst backing progressive and sustainable investments. They don’t want to think of their money going into big bad companies who are connected to fossil fuels, war or animal testing. When it comes to their lifestyle, the environment worries them and they’ve tried to live more sustainably, ditching the plastic, using reusable coffee cups or buying vintage.

Now they want their investments to match these green principles. And they want this today. They’re a bit suspicious of long-term transition goals and most likely to say they’ll avoid carbon-bashing companies altogether, no matter how loudly the Board shouts about change. That said, they’re investing for returns above all, so these questions are important, but not critical.

Most likely to say: “I’d like to test drive an electric vehicle please.”

The Pragmatic Greens are, well, truly pragmatic. As seasoned investors their intention is to be as green and sustainable as they can be, while still investing wisely. So they won’t pooh-pooh the big oil companies who are now investing in renewable energy. They believe that for the world to change big companies have to be part of that change – transition plans for tomorrow are fine. They want the world to be a greener, better place, but backing the companies who can change the world is the way forward.

Making money is the main driver behind all investment decisions – but they’ll ask the tough questions on sustainability and be more tolerant of longer-term horizons than many.

Most likely to say “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

The No Nasties don’t want their money to go anywhere near the bad guys: companies involved in weapons, tobacco, adult entertainment, fossil fuel, cannabis or other so-called ‘sin stocks’.

They know their right from wrong and hold no truck with the arguments that many big oil companies are investing in renewable energies so not the baddies they once were. Or that vaping is any better than the cigarettes of the past. To them, No Nasties are just that: they don’t want anything nasty in their investments. That’s how they sleep well at night.

Typically less confident investors, No Nasties still want to make a decent profit – but they are not prepared to overlook the evils of the world in the pursuit of profit.

Most likely to say: ”I know what I like. And I know what I DON’T like!”

Slow and Steadies are sensible, seasoned and thoughtful investors who put great store in good corporate governance. They are the Governance G in ESG.

They have a decent pot of money to invest and know how to invest it wisely, not falling for fads or trends. They know that well run companies are also more likely to make better returns and reduce risk. If they can get those returns, and also back businesses that help society and local communities, all the better.

Slow and Steadies value corporate transparency and strong governance, alongside a much broader raft of sustainable sectors which might be less emotive than some, but are all about progress and development, from healthcare to water distribution. Returns come first – but backing sensible firms truly developing solutions to the world’s most critical problems, is the sweet spot.

Most likely to say: ”All that glitters is not gold!”

Pure Returns have been around the investment block and are on the lookout for hot air and the latest fad. They are likely to have a strong interest in the world of technology and see this as an interesting common denominator of many appealing investment stories.

Despite an in-built scepticism, they are likely to be early adopters of funds connected to electric cars, battery technology and renewable energy. They know this the way the world is going and the money will follow. It makes financial sense. Clever and sharp, they have their finger on the pulse and are keen to maximise their returns. The business person they’re most likely to admire is Elon Musk, even if his company’s valuation means they sold their Tesla shares a while back.

Most likely to say: “Show me the money!”

By M&G Investments

With all the recent political upheaval, we take the view that these event changes are unlikely to have a major impact on your investments in the long run. Read on to find out why.

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By M&G Investments

Statistics show that more men invest than women. Perceptions and societal factors might be the cause, but with research showing that women make good investors, is it time to change our views?

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By M&G Investments

Talking about money with anyone isn’t often top of our ‘to do’ list. But why is this the case when money is such an unquestionable part of our lives?

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By M&G Investments

Over our lifetimes, the support we offer our family and friends goes far beyond just the financial. But our investments and what they can do for others are an important pillar of that support. So why do we tend to shy away from these conversations?

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By M&G Investments

Everything just feels a little bit out of control right now. Prices of everyday essentials are rapidly increasing everywhere. Household gas and electricity prices are rising at an alarming rate, prompting the UK government to provide a £400 rebate to each household and petrol and food prices have increased sharply over the past few months too.

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Holly interviews Maria Municchi, manager of M&G’s Multi-Asset Sustainable range. Holly wanted to get a better understanding of how investors – the average Jo – can start to look for funds which map to their criteria. And what are some of the key things we can look for in making our selection?

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By Maria Municchi, Multi Asset Fund Manager at M&G Investments

Crucial to successful asset allocation and delivery of investment returns is the understanding of the factors driving asset prices: economic, financial market and psychological. These are constantly evolving, although the pace and drivers of change can vary over time. Today, sustainability trends are having a significant influence over these areas. As sustainability issues are often interconnected, there are many reasons why and different ways in which sustainability factors might affect the way we invest.

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