- FTSE Russell publishes results of eighth annual sustainable investment (SI) asset owner survey
- Financial performance and risk management are cited as the key motivating factors for SI by the majority of asset owners
- Thematic investment and ESG integration remain the most popular SI approaches
- One in four asset owners are still considering implementing new SI strategies, with greenwashing, ESG data and regulation posing barriers
FTSE Russell, the global index provider, today published the findings from its eighth annual asset owner survey, analysing how sustainable investment (SI) is perceived, considered and used by asset owners across the world.
Sustainability considerations remain firmly embedded in investment strategies, with 73% of asset owners implementing sustainable investment approaches to their portfolios, a figure that has remained largely unchanged since 2023. However, asset owners are increasingly concerned with the investment impact posed by climate risk, with 85% of respondents ranking this as a major concern, up from 76% last year. While climate remains the primary focus, other sustainability factors such as diversity and inclusion and human rights are also ranked highly.
Stephanie Maier, Global Head of Sustainable, FTSE Russell, said: “Global asset owners’ commitment to integrating sustainability considerations remains steady. Against a backdrop of geopolitical headwinds, investor concerns regarding climate and broader sustainability risks continue to intensify and the focus on financial performance remains a central priority. This shift signals that sustainable investment is becoming a core component of fiduciary responsibility.”
The survey, which gathered insights from 415 asset owners across 24 countries, also shows that financial performance (56%) and risk management (54%) have become the leading motivations for sustainable investment. More than half of respondents believe these strategies help mitigate long-term risk and deliver better risk-adjusted returns, while fiduciary duty (42% in 2025 compared to 14% in 2024) is increasingly cited as a driver. In contrast, societal good is now a secondary consideration for many asset owners (37%).
Implementation approaches remain diverse. Thematic investing (60%) and ESG integration (61%) continue to be the most popular strategies, while engagement is gaining traction as investors seek to support transition towards low-carbon business models rather than divest from carbon-intensive assets.
While one in four (23%) asset owners are still evaluating whether to implement sustainable investment strategies, barriers such as greenwashing concerns and the availability and accuracy of ESG data were listed as issues to adoption. In addition, 60% of respondents cited different disclosure requirements and taxonomies as challenges to meeting regulatory requirements, and 61% cited an inability to align portfolios or indices with the sustainable investment or climate requirements set out by regulators.
Download the full report here: FTSE Russell - Sustainable Investment Asset Owner Survey 2025
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About FTSE Russell, an LSEG business
FTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, covering 98% of the investable market globally.
FTSE Russell index expertise and products are used extensively by institutional and retail investors globally. Approximately $18.1 trillion is benchmarked to FTSE Russell indexes. Leading asset owners, asset managers, ETF providers and investment banks choose FTSE Russell indexes to benchmark their investment performance and create ETFs, structured products and index-based derivatives.
A core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants. FTSE Russell is focused on applying the highest industry standards in index design and governance and embraces the IOSCO Principles. FTSE Russell is also focused on index innovation and customer partnerships as it seeks to enhance the breadth, depth and reach of its offering.
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LSEG is a leading global financial markets infrastructure and data provider, playing a vital social and economic role in the world’s financial system.
With our open approach, trusted expertise and global scale, we enable the sustainable growth and stability of our customers and their communities. We are dedicated partners with extensive experience, deep knowledge and a worldwide presence in data and analytics; indices; capital formation; and trade execution, clearing and risk management across multiple asset classes.
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