ESG: Backlash to the Backlash
A valid investment discipline regardless of the politics
As with any function that impacts the public domain, environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing has become political. Media commentators opine that ESG investing warps free market capitalism by stressing non-investment criteria and, therefore, weakens the dynamism of the economy. These criticisms and the counter arguments favoring ESG investing reached a climax over President Biden’s veto of Congress’ attempt to invalidate a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rule that allowed retirement plans to consider ESG criteria in selecting investments...