Sustainable investment funds:
from niche to mainstream

Europe remains the key driver behind sustainable finance, holding 83% of global sustainable investment funds’ net assets, according to the second annual European Sustainable Investment Funds Study by zeb, Morningstar and the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI). The study found that the net assets in sustainable fund products have reached almost EUR 2 trillion at the end of 2021, up 71% from 2020, based on the strict definition for sustainability applied by Morningstar.

European Sustainable Investment Funds Study

The study aims to provide a snapshot on how sustainability objectives and the respective legislative interventions are shaping the fund industry in Europe. It analyzes the role, competitiveness, and positioning of the different domiciles within this dynamically changing environment. The rapidly growing demand for sustainable investing from society and the asset management industry, supported by regulations, means the market share of sustainable funds will only further increase, with sustainable funds becoming the norm rather than the exception. 

Some topics and findings of our study:

• Equity remains the dominating asset class of sustainable funds across all European domiciles but fixed income and even money market attract increasing inflows as well 
• Sustainable passive strategies continue being popular at the expense of conventional ones
• The marketplace is continually dominated by large players
• Closing the gap: roadblocks in the US and Asia

The study was supported by a number of interviews from leading representatives of the fund industry which you will find within the whitepaper.

To download the study, please fill out the contact form below.