CFA releases ESG guidelines

The Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, a "global, not-for-profit association of investment professionals," recently released a manual for investors on environmental, social, and governance factors, or ESG (I discuss ESG in this earlier post). The manual includes a list of key ESG issues along with organizations, principles and research central to the ESG movement.

Here is an excerpt:

"This manual aims to help investment professionals identify and properly evaluate the risks and opportunities ESG issues present for Investors in public Companies and in the process clarify the relatively sparse and inconsistent information provided in current financial statements."

The manual "focuses on the legislative and regulatory, legal, reputational, and operational ESG risks and opportunities Shareowners will need to consider to fully understand the Companies in which they invest."