If your client wanted to invest in sustainable agriculture or West African start-up companies, or devote assets to advancing gender equality, would you, as an advisor, know where to direct them?
For many financial advisors, the answer is probably not.
That amounts to missed opportunities to connect on a deeper level with clients, says Steve Scheuth, producer of the 28th annual SRI Conference, to be held November 1-3 in San Diego.
This year, the conference is designed to help advisors who face these types of requests from clients. The emphasis will be on educating advisors about sustainable, responsible, impact investing and how to meet their clients’ goals, Scheuth says.
“The business case for SRI investing is locked tight,” says Scheuth, who also is president of First Affirmative Financial Network, a financial services firm in Colorado Springs, Colo., that specializes in SRI investing.
The demand for SRI investments and environmental, social and governance (ESG) products has increased by 135 percent since 2012 among institutional and individual investors alike, according to The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment (US SIF). Studies have also shown investors do not have to sacrifice returns to invest responsibly.
But advisors need to know how to steer clients in the right direction to fit their particular passions, Scheuth says.
The conference, the theme of which is All in For Impact, will give advisors resources to help clients, he adds. Advisors who attend will be able to earn continuing education credits for many of the sessions.
The conference will start with the US SIF Foundation’s educational series, which is designed to help advisors talk with clients about SRI investing and to incorporate SRI into investment portfolios.
“The conference will feature issue experts who will simplify complex themes and guide advisors as they navigate ESG data and analysis, which is at the core of most responsible investment strategies,” according to a statement released by the conference.
“Industry experts will host sessions that provide actionable advice on how to operate a successful practice serving socially conscious investors, identify trends in ESG integration, and evaluate future investment options in the SRI/ESG space.”
“Advisors see the trend gaining steam, but often struggle with how to make SRI a successful part of their practice. Our goal is that attendees will walk away with a deeper understanding of the issues their clients care about most deeply,” Scheuth says.
Additional information on the conference can be found here.