Global Investors Accelerate ESG Investments in Response to Pandemic, According to MSCI Survey; Interconnected Risks Present Challenges The global pandemic has highlighted both the importance of ESG issues and is accelerating ESG integration by institutional investors, according to the respondents of MSCI’s 2021 Global Institutional Investor Survey1, a survey of 200 asset owner institutions with assets totaling approximately $18 trillion. The survey of sovereign wealth funds, insurers, endowments/foundations, and pension funds found that over three-quarters (77%) of investors increased ESG investments “significantly” or “moderately” in response to COVID-19, with this figure rising to 90% for the largest institutions (over $200 billion of assets). “The combination of climate-related events, such as devastating wildfires, floods and droughts, and a global pandemic have accelerated the paradigm shift on ESG and climate change. Once an issue for ‘green funds’ and side-pockets, ESG and Climate are now firmly established as high priority issues,” said Baer Pettit, President and Chief Operating Officer, MSCI. “2020 marked a profound shift in the way institutions invest as many investors have recognized that many companies with strong environmental, social and governance practices outperformed during the pandemic.”