October 12, 2020:  A new research report launched by Campden Wealth, Global Impact Solutions Today (GIST), and Barclays Private Bank reveals the growth in leading private wealth holders and family offices investing for positive social and environment impact, with the average portfolio allocation set to almost double, increasing from 20 per cent in 2019 to 35 per cent by 2025.

 

Investing for Global Impact: A Power for Good, now in its seventh year, provides unique insight into the attitudes and actions of a sample of the world’s wealthiest individuals, families, family offices, and their foundations when it comes to generating positive impact with their capital. As a leading global benchmark for those interested in impact investing and philanthropy, data for this study was collected from over 300 respondents from 41 countries, with an average net worth of $876 million and cumulative net worth estimated at $264 billion. Additionally, case studies with prominent investors and philanthropists also feature in the report. 

 

Private wealth holders are increasingly engaging in impact investing

 

The proportion of the wealthy investors allocating more than 20 per cent of their portfolio to impact investing is expected to increase from 27 per cent to 39 per cent as soon as next year, and a quarter (27 per cent) are predicting to allocate more than 50 per cent within five years from now. As such, the average portfolio allocation to impact investing amongst these investors is expected to increase from 20 per cent in 2019 to 35 per cent by 2025.

 

Driving this uplift is the belief of two-in-five respondents (38 per cent) that they have a responsibility to make the world a better place. A quarter (24 per cent) believe that this approach will lead to better returns and risk profiles, and 26 per cent are looking to show that family wealth can create positive outcomes around the world.

 

Climate change considered the greatest threat to the world 

 

The majority of investors (82 per cent) feel a responsibility to support global social and environmental initiatives. Specifically, just over half (52 per cent) believe that the long-term impacts of climate change pose the greatest threat to the world, and roughly four-in-five (83 per cent) are already concerned with the effects of climate change seen globally. These concerns mean that nine-in-10 (87 per cent) say that climate change plays a part in their investment choices.

 

While just over half (53 per cent) of these wealthy investors say Europe is leading the world in carbon neutral initiatives, 86 per cent want governments to do more, but at the same time, four-in-five (81 per cent) recognise the role of private capital in addressing climate change. With this in mind, two-in-five (39 per cent) would like to know the carbon footprint of their portfolio to inform their investing, while roughly one-in-five (19 per cent) already have this information. 

 

Of those who do know their carbon footprint data, 13 per cent consider it as they make further investments and 9 per cent use it to actively reduce it towards a target, showing that more information around carbon emissions helps create greater positive impact. 

 

COVID-19 is acting as a ‘wake-up call’ and driving interest in sustainable investing

 

COVID-19 has made individuals increasingly aware of the world around them, with seven-in-10 (69 per cent) respondents saying that it has affected their views of investing and the economy. Nearly half (49 per cent) believe that investing will not return to ‘normal’, even after the crisis subsides, and one-in-five (22 per cent) think that the impact investing market is about to ‘take off’. 

 

In a sign that the implications for impact investing will be long lasting, two-thirds (66 per cent) say that they are likely to broaden their risk assessment to include more ESG factors, while 64 per cent insist that the crisis will force a deeper reconsideration of shareholder capitalism, and 69 per cent agree that how companies behave during the crisis will determine their investment attractiveness afterwards.

 

Healthcare ranked the second most popular impact sector, and a notable 84 per cent say that they plan to increase their investment to healthcare over the coming year, a proportion that outstrips all others.