Eurosif Report 2010

The Eurosif SRI 2010 Study shows that the European Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) is undergoing a transformative period, having significantly grown since 2008. Eurosif research shows that the market has almost doubled, with total European SRI assets under management (AuM) now reaching approximately €5 trillion at the end of 2009. The reader will note that overall, national markets vary considerably in terms of size, strategies, growth and market share. Nevertheless, SRI has shown a remarkable resilience to the ongoing global financial crisis, in spite of evident country variations.

The study focuses exclusively on the self-reporting of asset managers and self-managed asset owners. Additionally, the report includes both institutional and retail SRI assets. Eurosif has used as much as possible the same methodology as for its previous SRI studies. However, readers should keep in mind that the scope of market coverage has increased to include the thirteen previously covered markets plus six new countries: Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Although these newcomers are in their infancy with respect to SRI, the field is poised to grow there in the years to come. European SRI is rapidly evolving where multiple players use different criteria and means to reach sustainable investment outcomes. This survey reveals the rising challenge to define and segment SRI due to its tremendous growth as well as its increasing link into mainstream fund management. The recurring and ever-pressing question posed by those interested in SRI is how to properly define this field. Eurosif uses the following definition of SRI: a generic term covering any type of investment process that combines investors’ financial objectives with their concerns about Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues. In order to help investors, policy makers and the public to simplify what is inherently a complicated topic due to the many SRI strategies available, Eurosif utilises Core and Broad SRI as a means to segment the SRI market. The total European SRI figure of €5 trillion in AuM represents the sum of the Core and Broad SRI segments.

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