Glossary/Sustainable investing

Sustainable Investing

Also known as Responsible investing

Sustainable investing is a broad family of approaches incorporating environmental, social, governance, or sustainability considerations into investment objectives and decisions.

Editorially reviewed 2026-07-30

Why sustainable investing matters

Strategies range from integration and screening to thematic and impact investing, with different financial and real-world goals.

How it is applied

Investors define objective, universe, methodology, benchmark, data, engagement, impact claims, constraints, and performance measurement.

Portfolio example

One fund excludes coal while another owns utilities and engages on transition. Both may use the label but pursue different outcomes.

How to interpret it

The mandate must state whether sustainability is a risk input, values constraint, theme, or intended impact.

Limitations and common misconceptions

Inconsistent labels, weak data, benchmark differences, and greenwashing make comparisons difficult.

Sources and further reading