Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)

These days, more investors than ever are interested in investing in companies that reflect their ethical values. There are many companies out there with stock and investment options, so it can be pretty difficult for potential investors to know which companies reflect their values and which ones they wouldn’t want to support with their finances.

Enter the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. The ESG criteria assesses the impact of a company on the environment, a company’s role in social justice and equality and a company’s ethical standard in how it treats its employees and clients.

Each year, major financial institutions like JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and Chase publish reports that analyze the ESG standards of many companies with investment and stock options.

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How ESG affects investors

As a potential investor, you might have concerns regarding a company’s impact on the environment and social equality and its internal operations. These concerns might hinder you from taking advantage of an investment opportunity out of uncertainty of how your money will ultimately be used in a particular company or companies. This is where a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) comes in.

CFPs are financial professionals who can help you determine how to invest your finances in companies that meet the ESG criteria that align with your values.

CFPs have achieved their certification by meeting the rigorous standards of financial planning professionalism while adhering to ethical standards. So, when it comes to making a financial decision regarding an investment that aligns with your ethics and values, a CFP is exactly the type of financial professional you can trust.

How ESG affects businesses

As ESG issues continue to become a high priority for investors and potential investors, businesses need to take steps to ensure their ESG compliance. A CFP can act as a personal financial officer for your company to help you make decisions that affect your ESG eligibility so that you can attract environmentally and socially concerned investors.

Understanding each part of ESG

The “Environmental” part of ESG

Companies that meet the environmental criteria of ESG demonstrate that they take measures to reduce their risks of harming the environment. When assessing a company’s environmental criteria, financial institutions consider the amount of energy a company uses, how much waste and pollution it generates and how it treats plants and wildlife.

The “Social” part of ESG

Companies that meet the social criteria of ESG demonstrate that they take measures to value human life and are respectful toward other businesses and the community. When assessing a company’s social criteria, financial institutions look at a company’s diversity, its stance on human rights, how it values the consumer and how it interacts with the community and other businesses.

The “Governance” part of ESG

Companies that meet the governance criteria of ESG demonstrate that they operate within well-rounded ethical standards. When considering a company’s governance criteria, financial institutions look at how a company treats its employees, its stakeholders and its clients. Companies that treat all of these people well are considered to meet the governance criteria of ESG.

Do you need help making an investment decision based on ESG? Or does your company need to improve its ESG-related standards? It’s time to talk to a CFP at ProVise Management Group

Our team has decades of experience in helping clients make major financial decisions like investing in ESG compliant businesses or helping businesses meet ESG criteria. We are trusted not only because we demonstrate an ability to make financially responsible choices but because we strive to respect each clients’ beliefs, morals and philosophies to make the right decisions .

We work hard to develop a personalized financial plan that works best for you or your business without sacrificing your values. We provide this plan at a fiduciary standard of care and offer an unconditional money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with it. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the written plan, simply return it to us and we will refund 100% of the fee paid. Once presented and accepted, we will create an implementation strategy and then establish a monitoring system that meets your needs.

Whether you’re an investor who’s looking for opportunities to invest in a business that reflects your ethical values or if you work for a business that’s looking to improve its ESG compliance, our CFP are ready to help.

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