The Difference Between ESG and Socially Responsible Investing

Sonia Kowal, today’s podcast guest, made the following statement in a LinkedIn article in 2021, “ESG research and integration is part of an investment process to try and improve investment returns. It is not necessarily tied to values, ethics, morality, or mission.” But Kowal, who has been President of Zevin Asset Management since 2009, knows that values and ethics were central to the development of socially responsible investing. Kowal talks to us about the mission of Zevin Asset Management, which is a 100% employee-owned, majority women-owned firm, and the legacy of the company’s founder, Robert Zevin, who was a pioneer in sustainable investing. A philosophy that is obviously working because the company has a 20-plus-year performance track record that has been tested over a variety of market conditions.