Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing has entered the mainstream, and is transforming the way investors look at value. No longer are investments assessed purely in terms of financial returns; a host of other factors are considered, whether it’s a company’s carbon footprint or the impact a major infrastructure project will have on the local community. This is a welcome development, not least because these factors also have a demonstrable effect on investment performance. But ESG considerations add additional layers of complexity to the investment process that heighten the need for active portfolio management, backed by proprietary research.