Unilever has adopted the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and has committed to using 100 per cent renewable energy in its operations by 2030. Responsible investing is going mainstream as more investors come to understand the risks companies face by not improving their environmental, social and governance performance.
A 2018 RBC Global Asset Management Inc. survey shows that 84 per cent of institutional investors incorporate ESG factors into their screening process. And a recent Mackenzie Investments survey shows that about one-third of Canadians are keen on increasing their exposure to responsible investments – regardless of whether they currently hold them.
To help investors wade through the growing number of RI-focused investments, we asked four portfolio managers in this space to for some of their top stock picks:Anne Perreault, sectoral portfolio manager, Canadian equities, at Desjardins Global Asset Management Inc. in Montreal$15.96 to $21 a share Kingsey Falls, Que.-based Boralex develops, builds and operates renewable energy power facilities in North America, Britain and Europe. Most of its operations are in Canada and France, with a focus on wind and hydroelectric power. Ms. Perreault likes the company’s growth prospects given that countries such as France have committed to increasing renewable energy capacity. What’s more, four of the company’s 11 board members are women, which is above its target of 30 per cent female board members.