A conceptual framework for changes in fund management and accountability relative to ESG issues

Abstract

Major developments in socially responsible investment (SRI) and in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues for fund managers (FMs) have occurred in the past decade. Much positive change has occurred but problems of disclosure, transparency and accountability remain. This article argues that trustees, FM investors and investee companies all require shared knowledge to overcome, in part, these problems. This involves clear concepts of accountability, and knowledge of fund management and of the associated ‘chain of accountability’ to enhance visibility and transparency. Dealing with the problems also requires development of an analytic framework based on relevant literature and theory. These empirical and analytic constructs combine to form a novel conceptual framework that is used to identify a clear set of areas to change FM investment decision making in a coherent way relative to ESG issues. The constructs and the change strategy are also used together to analyse how one can create favourable conditions for enhanced accountability. Ethical problems and climate change issues will be used as the main examples of ESG issues. The article has policy implications for the UK ‘Stewardship Code’ (2010), the legal responsibilities of key players and for the ‘Carbon Disclosure Project’.

Keywords:

• disclosure
• ESG issues
• FM accountability
• knowledge
• transparency

Acknowledgements

Participants at APIRA (Sydney, 12 July 2010), at CSEAR (St Andrews, 2 September 2010) and at BAM (Sheffield, 15 September 2010), and Matthew Haigh, G. Boyce, R. Gray, A. Hoepner, N. Kreander, J. Solomon and A. Young are acknowledged.