The world has put its values on display. There are countless outlets for those who want to engage around their passions, and it is becoming more common to incorporate values into our day-to-day lives. Financial advisors, however, have proven reluctant to join the conversation, despite overwhelming evidence that the volume is increasing.

The numbers tell the story of a culture ready to lead with their values:

Consumer preference: 81 percent of consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment.

Employee demand: 83 percent of millennials and 80 percent of Gen Z believe that business success should be measured beyond financial performance.

Management evolution: businesses are responding. Among those employees who feel they are on a successful track, 75 percent report that their company exhibits a strong sense of purpose that resonates with their personal values.

The logical next step is for people to also incorporate their values into investment decisions. But financial advisors aren’t walking that walk, and they continue to shy away from the client values discussion. What separates them from the momentum shared by so many other industries and communities?

Communications and education. The lack of a simple message and clear path to action for clients is standing in the way of evolution.

Three Keys To Client Values

There are any number of approaches to aligning values and investments, and certainly advisors have a fiduciary obligation to know which sustainable investing strategies are the right fit for their clients. Whether screening in specific investments that support a client’s goals or excluding industries a client opposes, the tools and analytics now exist to build portfolios that can outperform, or at the very least provide competitive returns.

Investors understand this—which is in part why one in four dollars is invested in sustainable, responsible and impact investing. That accounts for $12.0 trillion in total assets under management in the United States and a 38 percent increase over 2016.

The problem advisors face, then, is less about jeopardizing returns and more about jeopardizing the client relationship by dismissing their genuine beliefs and ambitions in life.

The only way to bridge client values and investments is to truly understand what they hold dear. This goes beyond the traditional financial planning discussions about lifestyle, retirement and savings strategy; advisors must expand their comfort zone to truly learn about their clients’ values.

There are three building blocks that advisors can use to make sustainable investing a part of their client relationships—and a part of their brand.

1. Build A Unique And Honest Message

Every advisor hopes to be one of the first calls their clients make when a major life change occurs or when they find an opportunity to pursue. Getting to that stage requires trust and alignment, and the way advisors engage with both clients and the world at large is the first step to opening that door.

Incorporating an awareness of client values into an advisory firm’s overall message goes a long way to starting the conversation. This does not require a flashing headline on the website; on the contrary, the art is to subtly work the idea of sustainable investing into the way an advisor presents their firm. With this foundation laid, questions about client passions become part of the equation: are they concerned about local land preservation? Mitigating climate change? Advances in health care?

Information can be gathered in person (preferable) or through client forms. State Street’s recently launched Values Discovery Tool is a strong example of where the discussion is heading, but is just one of many initiatives designed to help investors clarify their overall goals.

2. Make Values Another Client Touchpoint

There’s a common anxiety that by raising the “values conversation,” advisors risk a backlash from conservative investors. The reality is that when the idea is raised as an optional part of the process, it really is no different than asking about plans for children’s education, the vision for retirement, or charitable giving targets.

One advisory firm noted to our team that their leadership felt passionately about socially responsible investing, but very few clients were engaged. With no desire to upset the client balance, we suggested sending an email to their database that simply invited interested clients to explore the idea of aligning a percentage of their portfolios with their values. The result? No negative feedback, and immediate inquiries from more than a dozen clients about how they might proceed.

3. Don’t Fear The Issues

Advisors don’t have to be experts on every social issue, but they should lead with those they are passionate about and show a willingness to engage with clients about their ideas as well. This alone will demonstrate a commitment to take seriously the idea that investments can be successfully tuned to social preferences.

It also means advisors need to be open and ready to explore issues that clients want to invest in. Climate change is an excellent example, as it’s top of mind for much of the world and a point of political contention in the United States. Clients who are passionate about the issue may look to advisors for guidance on how to participate. Knowing the heart of the issue and the most relevant investments will allow advisors to alleviate concerns and forge greater trust in their ability to support an area their clients are passionate about.

If topics arise that fall outside an advisor’s knowledge base, there is no need to panic: they can simply agree to explore the opportunities. That type of partnership is what makes clients feel secure in the relationship for the long term.

Clear Communication Means A Clear Path

We make decisions based on our values every day, often without even realizing it. What activities are right for my children? Which type of cereal should I buy? What kind of car do I drive? All of our choices are intuitively informed by emotional and rational drivers, and they empower us to shape the world we live in both on a community level and on the world stage.

Investing should be no different, and it is inevitable that the financial services universe will begin to treat sustainable investing as an inherent part of decision making. Advisors serve as the trusted gatekeepers for precious capital, and it falls on them to sort through the nuances and clearly communicate the options to their clients.

In the end, opening that conversation will lead to thoughtful portfolios and stronger relationships.

Evan Zall is president of Longview Strategies, a strategic marketing and communications firm with a focus on financial services and expertise in sustainable investing.