Gender lens equity investing developed from a substantive body of research demonstrating the financial, risk management, decision-making, and other corporate benefits of higher levels of women in leadership (WIL). In our coverage universe at Parallelle Finance, 27 gender lens global and regional equity funds are available to individual investors. Their assets under management (AUM) totaled $3.47 billion as of 30 June 2021, reflecting a growth rate of 32% during the first half of 2021.
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Infographic #1: A Gender Lens in ESG Investing
How can ESG investments incorporate a gender lens? As standard setting bodies vie for leadership in ESG reporting standards, there has been a focus on the materiality of ESG metrics by company and industry. Proposed ESG standards tend to focus on metrics with material impact, defined as able to be measured and documented, on financial performance or risk at the company or industry level.
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Gender Lens + ESG Investment Criteria
As a thematic environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment strategy, gender lens investment vehicles tend to incorporate two pillars of ESG. By definition gender lens investments cover the G of ESG, relationships with internal stakeholders. Our research shows that many gender lens vehicles also incorporate a focus on the S, relationships with external stakeholders. E, – to varied degrees. In Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Pillars in Gender Lens Investing, we explore how gender lens equity funds can also incorporate the E, impact of products and services on the environment and climate change risk.
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Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Pillars in Gender Lens Investing (GLI)
Gender lens investing (GLI) is seen as a thematic environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment strategy. Within GLI, global and regional gender lens equity funds grew from a wide body of research demonstrating the performance and other benefits of higher women in leadership (WIL). How well do gender lens equity funds reflect an ESG approach? By definition, the WIL investment philosophy captures the G of ESG, relationships with internal stakeholders. Our analysis shows that many GLI funds and indexes also capture an element of the S, relationships with external stakeholders, through a focus on supplier diversity, human rights exclusions, and product safety.
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Q2 2021 Review
Gender Lens Investing Q2 2021 Review examines the second quarter 2021 performance and composition of gender lens equity funds, expands our coverage of diversity, equity, & inclusion funds, offers an update on gender lens fixed income activity and explores the dynamics shaping publicly available gender lens investing.
Including A Country Analysis.
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Gender Lens Investing: Corporate Equality Metrics Beyond WIL
For public sector GLI equity and fixed income offerings to meaningfully reflect – and capture the benefits of – gender diversity at the company level, investment criteria should encompass inclusive gender equality metrics beyond WIL. Women’s representation at all managerial levels is the key to the leadership pipeline. Investors need to be able to measure inclusive gender equality across a range of data points, including pay parity, a company’s commitment to supplier diversity, the provision of corporate benefits in support of caregivers, and true inclusivity in the work environment. The inclusiveness and safety of products and services also needs to be assessed. Increased data availability is key to investing in companies making progress on broad-based inclusive gender equality, with the glaring need for pay data leading the charge.
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