I’m sure most of you will have watched my YT last week on the subject of ESG (Environmental Social Governance)/Ethical/Sustainable/Responsible/Positive Impact, let’s call the whole thing off) investments. No? Here’s the link, and here’s the thing. If advisers are (according to research) saying that only ’11% of clients proactively raise the subject’ of what most would still call ‘ethical investment’, it begs the question, is it ever raised proactively by advisers? I’d say ‘no’, most avoid the subject and hope that prospective clients will do the same. The perception is that it’s complicated, those who do want to discuss it are ‘weirdos’ (quote from recent podcast), that this type of investment will underperform a ‘full fat’ portfolio and that getting involved is a rabbit hole too far; or deep. Alternative view, it’s our job to explain and make understandable complex financial stuff. If we can do that with, for example, the maze that is pension legislation, we should be able to do so with something in which many they’ll find, if they ask the question, more than a passing interest.
Budget Rumours and Possibilities
The Budget Rumour Machine is not the shambles it was last year. Before Rachel’s Swansong all sorts of stuff was leaked to see what sort of puddle it would create.
