Sustainability is one of the most significant trends in financial markets for decades. 1

This report represents the most comprehensive knowledge base on sustainability to date. It is based on more than 200 academic studies, industry reports, newspaper articles, and books.

2

90% of the studies on the cost of capital show that sound sustainability standards lower the cost of capital of companies

3

88% of the research shows that solid ESG practices result in better operational performance of firms4

80% of the studies show that stock price performance of companies is positively influenced by good sustainability practices

5

Based on the economic impact, it is in the best interest of investors and corporate managers to incorporate sustainability considerations into their decision making processes

6

Active ownership allows investors to influence corporate behavior and benefit from improvements in sustainable business practices.

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The future of sustainable investing is likely to be active ownership by multiple stakeholder groups including investors and consumers8

Source: From The Stockholder to The Stakeholder. Clark, Feiner and Vihes, 2015