Taiwanese Investors Rank 7th Globally in Corporate Social Responsibility (ESG) Attention, Japanese Companies Rank Low? Schroders' Chief Marketing Officer, Hsieh Cheng-huang, stated that while the level of importance varies across countries, using a company's ESG attitude as an investment criterion has clearly become a new investment trend. Statistics show that companies that prioritize ESG generally outperform those that don't. According to the survey results, investors in emerging markets place greater emphasis on ESG investment concepts than those in developed countries. The survey ranked investors in 28 countries worldwide based on their level of attention to five options: "good corporate governance," "good social responsibility record," "positive environmental impact," "positive social impact on the local area," and "positive social impact globally." Investors in emerging markets almost single-handedly occupied the top 10 spots, including eight countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia. Taiwan ranked 7th, higher than the global average, while developed countries like Japan, Sweden, and the UK ranked near the bottom. However, Hsieh Cheng-huang clarified that while investors in developed countries may seem to place the least emphasis on ESG issues, this is actually because the concept is deeply ingrained in their thinking. Jessica Ground, Global Head of Supervision at Schroders Investment Management, believes that European countries have enacted extensive environmental legislation, and European investors are largely seen as being at the forefront of ESG investing. Furthermore, although European investors' average scores are lower than the global average, they currently account for over 60% of the total investment amount based on ESG principles globally, indicating that European investors are not indifferent. Looking at emerging markets, when asked about their level of concern regarding "positive environmental impact," Indonesian investors expressed the deepest concern, ranking first globally; while China, frequently plagued by severe smog, ranked third globally. Jessica Ground also observed a growing and sustained focus on environmental and social issues among Asian investors. Hsieh Cheng-huang, Chief Marketing Officer of Schroders Investment Management, believes that although the level of concern varies from country to country, using a company's ESG attitude as an investment criterion has clearly become the latest investment trend. Statistics show that companies that prioritize ESG perform better on average than those that don't. Therefore, the Schroders Group, through its signing of the UN Responsible Investment Treaty, also focuses on companies that prioritize ESG when selecting investment targets. ESG investing refers to investors considering whether a company prioritizes environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues when selecting investment targets. Between 2012 and 2014, global investment in ESG-related companies was estimated to have grown from £13 trillion to £21 trillion, demonstrating that ESG investing has become a global trend. In response to this trend, Schroders conducted a survey this year of 20,000 investors in 28 countries, all with investments exceeding €10,000, regarding their views on ESG investing. The survey results show that investors in emerging markets place greater emphasis on ESG investing than those in developed countries. The survey ranked investors in 28 countries based on their level of concern regarding five options: "good corporate governance," "good social responsibility record," "positive environmental impact," "positive local social impact," and "positive global social impact." Investors in emerging markets almost entirely dominated the top ten, including eight countries such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia. Taiwan ranked seventh, also above the global average; while developed countries such as Japan, Sweden, and the UK ranked near the bottom. In the ranking of ESG investment concepts, Japan's ranking was the most surprising. Among the 28 countries surveyed, Japanese investors had the lowest level of awareness globally regarding the ESG aspects of their investee companies, and also the lowest level of emphasis on "positive environmental impact." Source: CSRone Sustainability Report Platform (2016-12-13)
