Advisors and investors who are interested in better understanding their environmental, social and governance (ESG) preferences now have access to BMO Global Asset Management’s MyESG personality tool.
The online resource leverages data collected in November and December 2019 through a joint survey with Washington, D.C.-based DCIIA Retirement Center that polled more than 2,000 high-income and high-net-worth individuals in Canada and the U.S. between the ages of 30 and 75.
The survey found that investors generally have one of four distinct ESG personalities: ESG motivated (22%), where a person is open to ESG options and shareholder activism; ESG ready (30%), where a person sees the value of ESG analysis; ESG pragmatic (27%), where a person prioritizes financial results but is open to ESG; and ESG skeptical (21%), where a person isn’t motivated by ESG considerations.
“When it comes to ESG investing, there is not a one-size-fits-all conversation for advisors and investors,” said Kristi Mitchem, CEO of BMO GAM, in a release. “By using these personas, we are looking to deepen the conversation and close the gap between ESG beliefs and investing habits.”
Other findings from the survey showed that while the majority of investors (72%) strongly agreed that companies can have a positive impact on the world while also making a profit, only 28% had asked their advisors to recommend ESG investments in the previous two years. Only 26% of advisors had recommended such investments over the same period.