Sustainable Investing
More investors than ever want to make a positive social or environmental impact with their money, while still achieving competitive returns. That’s sustainable investing, and it already accounts for over $30 trillion in assets under management globally.1

Why you should consider sustainable investing

Sustainable investing means including not just financial factors but also environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria when you analyze an investment. It rests on the idea that companies are more likely to succeed and generate a strong return if they provide value to all their stakeholders from employees to customers to the broader community.

With increasing attention and emphasis on sustainability issues related to public health, climate change, and social justice, ESG factors can help you understand an investment’s risk, opportunities, and social impact more holistically.

Sustainable funds outperformed comparable traditional funds and helped reduce investment risk during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a recent study by Morgan Stanley found.

Financial institutions are integrating sustainable practices into their portfolios in record numbers, making ESG investing more accessible to individuals than ever before. In fact, 80% of institutional asset owners have actively integrated ESG factors into their investment process.
Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, Sustainable Signals Survey (2020, 2019)

How you can start investing with impact

Want help integrating sustainable investing into part or all of your portfolio? Whether you prefer to buy individual ESG investments or let us build and manage a socially responsible portfolio for you, our solutions make it easy.
Learn more about investing in ETFs related to clean water

Water for the future

Discover how to invest in companies that are in industries related to potable water and water conservation and purification.

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 Learn more about investing in ETFs related to clean energy

Clean energy

Learn how to put your money behind the growing call for clean and renewable energy.

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Climate sustainability

Discover ways to invest in companies that develop and provide solutions to promote decarbonization and mitigate the impacts of climate change.

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Perspectives and Insights

Now that we've joined forces with Morgan Stanley, we're excited to bring you the latest insights on sustainable investing from the combined company.

Why net zero is a net positive for banks

Large global banks have an opportunity to develop new ‘green’ sources of revenue tied to everything from carbon trading to helping finance the estimated $50 trillion needed to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Why municipal bonds are emerging as a key ESG investment

Learn why municipal bonds align with ESG principles that could make a positive impact and why these securities may be undervalued.

Is carbon capture the energy sector’s answer to a net-zero future?

Carbon capture and storage could represent one of the best solutions for achieving a net-zero future while still meeting the world’s growing energy needs.

Why gender lens investing may lead to better returns

Discover how gender lens investing can help enhance your portfolio’s bottom line while also promoting greater workplace diversity and equity.

Does ethnic diversity on corporate boards affect stock prices?

A new study from Calvert, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, examines whether racial and ethnic board diversity can have a positive effect on stock performance.

A deep dive on the water crisis

The gap between the world’s renewable supply of water and demand is expected to be 40% by 2030, bringing a new urgency to addressing water scarcity. Morgan Stanley’s Sustainable Research Team does a deep dive on the causes, implications, and solutions.

Investing through the energy transition

Increasing demand and significant cost reductions have changed the clean energy landscape. Learn how decarbonization efforts may present long-term opportunities for investors.

Green bond basics: What to know before investing

Green bonds give fixed income investors a way to incorporate environmental and social causes into their portfolio strategies. We dig into what green bonds are, how they’ve started to gain traction, and what to consider before investing.

Four ways investors can act on climate change

Climate change presents risks, but there are ways for investors to take part in positive change.

How to tackle climate change in your portfolio

As the world increasingly transitions to a low-carbon economy, explore how you can pursue your climate action goals alongside your financial objectives.

Understanding and getting started in sustainable investing

You’ve probably noticed that sustainable investing is a hot topic among investors these days. But what exactly is it, how do investors do it, and how can you get started if you think it’s right for you? Let’s take a look.

Listen to Morgan Stanley Podcasts

The Inflation Reduction Act and clean energy

08/23/22

The Inflation Reduction Act represents the single biggest climate investment in US history, so how will these provisions influence consumers' pocketbooks and the clean energy market?

The next phase of ESG

07/20/22

Interest in ESG investing has risen exponentially in recent years, leading to increased scrutiny around, and appreciation for, the hard data. Head of US Public Policy Research and Municipal Strategy Michael Zezas and Head of the ESG Fixed Income Research Team Carolyn Campbell discuss.

Oil, gas, and the clean energy transition 

03/29/22

As oil and gas prices rise, governments and investors must weigh investment in clean energy initiatives and new capacity in traditional energy commodities.

A framework for ESG growth in the US

03/23/22

While the demand for Environmental, Social, and Governance investing has been growing primarily in Europe, a potential new regulatory policy may drive new interest and opportunity for US investors.

Changing tides: Water scarcity

02/24/22

Water scarcity brings unique challenges in the path to a more sustainable future. Solving for them will mean both risk and opportunity for investors.

The promise of green hydrogen

10/21/21

Sustainably generated hydrogen has great promise as a fuel where electricity alone won’t suffice, but the road to its broad adoption remains complicated for investors to navigate.

  1. Morgan Stanley Research, “Sustainable Investing: Quarterly Tracker,” 1/19/22