The Routledge Handbook of Responsible Investment

Launched in April 2006, the United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Investment has been signed by 860 financial institutions, representing more than 25 trillion US$ in the first five years of their existence. This means that roughly 25% of the world’s financial institutions have made some commitment to invest their assets in a way, which consider not purely financial but also some environmental, social or governance (ESG) criteria.

This trend to invest responsibly is expected to strengthen even further as a consequence of the financial crisis, which resulted in considerable doubt regarding certain financial theories. However, no edited book has been published on the topic to date, which functions as general overview on research insights and market structures to represent a focal point of reference for both, academics and practitioners.

This handbook will provide a prestige reference work which offers students and researchers an introduction to current scholarship and international structures in the expanding discipline of responsible investment.

Natalie Beinisch is Academic Network Manager at the Principles for Responsible Investment, United Nations

James P. Hawley is Professor and Director of the Elfenworks Center for the Study of Fiduciary Capitalism at Saint Mary’s College of California, USA

Tessa Hebb is Director of the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation and Adjunct Professor at Carleton University, Canada

Andreas G. F. Hoepner is Lecturer in Banking and Finance at the University of St. Andrews, UK and Academic Fellow at the Principles for Responsible Investment, United Nations

David Wood is Director of the Initiative for Responsible Investment (IRI), a project of the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA