88% of Aussies want responsible investment options in super
Almost 60% of Australians would pay closer attention to their superannuation if their provider reported on environmental and/or social impact of their investments, according to a survey.
A Franklin Templeton survey found interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) style investing could be used to enhance member engagement across all demographics.
An average of 88% of the 2,000 respondents thought their super fund should offer a responsible investment option. Of these, 44% of Baby Boomers and 36% of Gen X said this was a ‘very important’ issue, compared to 34% of Gen Y.
Source: Franklin Templeton
Another 56% of Gen Y respondents said they wanted their fund to offer investment options that aimed for a positive impact, along with 44% of Gen X and 41% of Baby Boomers.
Franklin Templeton managing director, Matthew Harrison, said the survey reflected a shift in the current landscape of responsible investments in Australia due to a growing appetite.
“What these findings seem to be telling us is that people are not apathetic about their retirement finance and communicating with people about how their investments might address environmental and social concerns may be a good avenue to strengthen member engagement,” he said.
“While there is growing discussion at the board room level about ESG issues and investing for impact, it is likely there is more that can be done to ‘join the dots’ for everyday Australians so they better understand the role their money can play. We believe asset managers, super fund providers and financial advisers all have a crucial role to play in this.”
Recommended for you
The $673 billion global investment manager has appointed a former Zenith sales head as it seeks to expand its reach in the Australian wealth management market.
Fund managers may be operating in a squeezed environment, but a salary guide shows they are willing to pay up for specialist talent to diversify their fund range.
Reach Alternative Investments has entered into a strategic partnership with Russell Investments to bolster its wholesale private markets offering for financial advisers and investors.
Boutique investment consulting and research house Genium Investment Partners has announced a senior appointment to drive further growth in its research ratings business.
