The Wall Street Journal: ESG funds face SEC questions over criteria

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Many investment firms have been touting new products as socially responsible. Now, regulators are scrutinizing some funds in an attempt to determine whether those claims are at odds with reality.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has sent examination letters to firms as record amounts of money flow into ESG funds. These funds broadly market themselves as trying to invest in companies that pursue strategies to address environmental, social or governance challenges, such as climate change and corporate diversity.

But there have been critics of the growth in these funds. Some argue investment funds should focus solely on returns, and some firms have faced questions about how strictly they adhere to ESG principles.

The SEC initiative is based out of the agency’s Los Angeles office, according to a person familiar with the matter. It has focused on advisers’ criteria for determining an investment to be socially responsible and their methodology for applying those criteria and making investments.

Read an expanded version of this article at WSJ.com.

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