Increasing numbers of investors are integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in their investment decisions. Just in the last several years, ESG investment has grown exponentially, now totaling over $30 trillion. Europe and the United States are the largest contributors of ESG investment, but Asia and the Pacific is rapidly catching up.

In principle, greater ESG investment could encourage the private sector to tackle environmental, social, and governance challenges, as well as boost corporate profits and economic growth. However, the COVID-19 crisis and investors’ preference for safe assets are among the factors impeding the acceleration of ESG investment.

This conference, which is organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), will feature research papers that examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on ESG investment, its potential to support sustainable economic recovery, and ways to drive ESG investment growth and address related risks. Private investor behavior, the effects of ESG policies on investment performance, and ESG investment implications for social welfare and environmental sustainability in Asia and the Pacific will also be explored.