IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v11y2019i2p353-d196966.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Doing Well by Doing Good: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda for Sustainable Investment

Author

Listed:
  • Gaurav Talan

    (University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi 110078, India)

  • Gagan Deep Sharma

    (University School of Management Studies, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi 110078, India)

Abstract

This paper conducts a systematic review of the research work in the field of sustainable investment for identifying research gaps and laying down research agenda for the future. Articles on sustainable investment published in journals indexed at the Web of Science during 1989 and 2018 (so far) are reviewed for the purpose of this research. A total of 225 papers were found through the search criteria, out of which 213 papers were selected for review. The paper identifies gaps in the literature that can be considered as opportunities for future study. The analysis of these articles led us to note the need for an agenda that can present a holistic framework of sustainable investment with lesser variations and increased acceptability. The research agenda proposed by the paper may help researchers in framing their research problems around the gaps identified. Sustainable investment is a potential solution to social and ecological issues by transforming the financial markets to have more accountability for their impacts. Therefore, it is important to carry out extensive research in this field so as to develop it as an applied field of investment. There has so far been no attempt to perform a systematic review in the field of sustainable investment for a period of 20 years, as has been made in this paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Gaurav Talan & Gagan Deep Sharma, 2019. "Doing Well by Doing Good: A Systematic Review and Research Agenda for Sustainable Investment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:353-:d:196966
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/2/353/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/2/353/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Céline Louche & Kyoko Sakuma, 2008. "Socially Responsible Investment in Japan: Its Mechanism and Drivers," Post-Print hal-01098061, HAL.
    2. Emiel Duuren & Auke Plantinga & Bert Scholtens, 2016. "ESG Integration and the Investment Management Process: Fundamental Investing Reinvented," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 138(3), pages 525-533, October.
    3. Ki‐Hoon Lee & Beom Cheol Cin & Eui Young Lee, 2016. "Environmental Responsibility and Firm Performance: The Application of an Environmental, Social and Governance Model," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 40-53, January.
    4. Magnus Jansson & Anders Biel, 2011. "Motives to engage in sustainable investment: a comparison between institutional and private investors," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(2), pages 135-142, March/Apr.
    5. Du Rietz, Sabina, 2014. "When accounts become information: A study of investors’ ESG analysis practice," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 395-408.
    6. Darren D. Lee & Jacquelyn E. Humphrey & Karen L. Benson & Jason Y. K. Ahn, 2010. "Socially responsible investment fund performance: the impact of screening intensity," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 50(2), pages 351-370, June.
    7. Alexander Kempf & Peer Osthoff, 2008. "SRI Funds: Nomen est Omen," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9-10), pages 1276-1294.
    8. Riikka Sievänen & John Sumelius & K. Islam & Mila Sell, 2013. "From struggle in responsible investment to potential to improve global environmental governance through UN PRI," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 197-217, May.
    9. Matthew J. Kiernan, 2007. "Universal Owners and ESG: leaving money on the table?," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(3), pages 478-485, May.
    10. Emma Avetisyan & Kai Hockerts, 2017. "The Consolidation of the ESG Rating Industry as an Enactment of Institutional Retrogression," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 316-330, March.
    11. Stewart Jones & Sandra van der Laan & Geoff Frost & Janice Loftus, 2008. "The Investment Performance of Socially Responsible Investment Funds in Australia," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 80(2), pages 181-203, June.
    12. Justyna Przychodzen & Fernando Gómez-Bezares & Wojciech Przychodzen & Mikel Larreina, 2016. "ESG Issues among Fund Managers—Factors and Motives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-19, October.
    13. Joakim Sandberg, 2011. "Socially Responsible Investment and Fiduciary Duty: Putting the Freshfields Report into Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 101(1), pages 143-162, June.
    14. Ronald Hill & Thomas Ainscough & Todd Shank & Daryl Manullang, 2007. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Socially Responsible Investing: A Global Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 70(2), pages 165-174, January.
    15. Lage Junior, Muris & Godinho Filho, Moacir, 2010. "Variations of the kanban system: Literature review and classification," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(1), pages 13-21, May.
    16. Vanwalleghem, Dieter, 2017. "The real effects of sustainable & responsible investing?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 10-14.
    17. Amelia Bilbao-Terol & Mar Arenas-Parra & Verónica Cañal-Fernández & Celia Bilbao-Terol, 2016. "Multi-criteria decision making for choosing socially responsible investment within a behavioral portfolio theory framework: a new way of investing into a crisis environment," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 247(2), pages 549-580, December.
    18. Jonas Nilsson, 2008. "Investment with a Conscience: Examining the Impact of Pro-Social Attitudes and Perceived Financial Performance on Socially Responsible Investment Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(2), pages 307-325, December.
    19. Gaurav Talan & Gagan Deep Sharma, 2020. "From business goals to societal goals via sustainable investment: an integrative review and research agenda," World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 16(1), pages 108-124.
    20. Karen Paul, 2017. "The effect of business cycle, market return and momentum on financial performance of socially responsible investing mutual funds," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 13(3), pages 513-528, August.
    21. Gunther Capelle-Blancard & S. Monjon, 2012. "Trends in the literature on socially responsible investment: Looking for the keys under the lamppost," Post-Print hal-00733402, HAL.
    22. Anna Höchstädter & Barbara Scheck, 2015. "What’s in a Name: An Analysis of Impact Investing Understandings by Academics and Practitioners," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 449-475, December.
    23. William Martin, 2009. "Socially Responsible Investing: Is Your Fiduciary Duty at Risk?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 90(4), pages 549-560, December.
    24. Joakim Sandberg & Carmen Juravle & Ted Hedesström & Ian Hamilton, 2009. "The Heterogeneity of Socially Responsible Investment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(4), pages 519-533, July.
    25. Galema, Rients & Plantinga, Auke & Scholtens, Bert, 2008. "The stocks at stake: Return and risk in socially responsible investment," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(12), pages 2646-2654, December.
    26. Avshalom Adam & Tal Shavit, 2008. "How Can a Ratings-based Method for Assessing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Provide an Incentive to Firms Excluded from Socially Responsible Investment Indices to Invest in CSR?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 82(4), pages 899-905, November.
    27. Frédérique Déjean & Jean-Pascal Gond & Bernard Leca, 2004. "Measuring the unmeasured : An institutional entrepreneur strategy in an emerging industry," Post-Print halshs-00151270, HAL.
    28. Frédérique Dejean & Jean-Pascal Gond & Bernard Leca, 2004. "Measuring the Unmeasured : An Instutional Entrepreneur Strategy in an Emerging Industry," Post-Print halshs-00006012, HAL.
    29. Revelli, Christophe, 2016. "Re-embedding financial stakes within ethical and social values in socially responsible investing (SRI)," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-5.
    30. Jeremy Galbreath, 2013. "ESG in Focus: The Australian Evidence," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 118(3), pages 529-541, December.
    31. A. Fabretti & S. Herzel, 2012. "Delegated portfolio management with socially responsible investment constraints," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3-4), pages 293-309, April.
    32. repec:dau:papers:123456789/7349 is not listed on IDEAS
    33. Revelli, Christophe, 2017. "Socially responsible investing (SRI): From mainstream to margin?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(PB), pages 711-717.
    34. Neil Eccles, 2010. "UN Principles for Responsible Investment Signatories and the Anti-Apartheid SRI Movement: A Thought Experiment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 95(3), pages 415-424, September.
    35. repec:dau:papers:123456789/1478 is not listed on IDEAS
    36. Dieter Vanwalleghem, 2017. "The real effects of sustainable & responsible investing?," Post-Print hal-02005421, HAL.
    37. N. Eccles & S. Viviers, 2011. "The Origins and Meanings of Names Describing Investment Practices that Integrate a Consideration of ESG Issues in the Academic Literature," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(3), pages 389-402, December.
    38. Xiutian Shi & Yuan Qian & Ciwei Dong, 2017. "Economic and Environmental Performance of Fashion Supply Chain: The Joint Effect of Power Structure and Sustainable Investment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-22, June.
    39. Chitra Sriyani De Silva Lokuwaduge & Kumudini Heenetigala, 2017. "Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Disclosure for a Sustainable Development: An Australian Study," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(4), pages 438-450, May.
    40. Del Bosco, Barbara & Misani, Nicola, 2016. "The effect of cross-listing on the environmental, social, and governance performance of firms," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(6), pages 977-990.
    41. Ballestero, Enrique & Bravo, Mila & Pérez-Gladish, Blanca & Arenas-Parra, Mar & Plà-Santamaria, David, 2012. "Socially Responsible Investment: A multicriteria approach to portfolio selection combining ethical and financial objectives," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 216(2), pages 487-494.
    42. Maria Carolina Rezende de Carvalho Ferreira & Vinicius Amorim Sobreiro & Herbert Kimura & Flavio Luiz de Moraes Barboza, 2016. "A systematic review of literature about finance and sustainability," Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(2), pages 112-147, April.
    43. Eduardo Ortas & Igor Álvarez & Ainhoa Garayar, 2015. "The Environmental, Social, Governance, and Financial Performance Effects on Companies that Adopt the United Nations Global Compact," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-25, February.
    44. Kenneth Amaeshi, 2010. "Different Markets for Different Folks: Exploring the Challenges of Mainstreaming Responsible Investment Practices," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 41-56, April.
    45. Nahoko Mitsuyama & Satoshi Shimizutani, 2015. "Stock market reaction to ESG-oriented management: an event study analysis on a disclosing policy in Japan'," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(2), pages 1098-1108.
    46. Crifo, Patricia & Forget, Vanina D. & Teyssier, Sabrina, 2015. "The price of environmental, social and governance practice disclosure: An experiment with professional private equity investors," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 168-194.
    47. Benjamin Richardson, 2009. "Keeping Ethical Investment Ethical: Regulatory Issues for Investing for Sustainability," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(4), pages 555-572, July.
    48. Katherina Glac, 2009. "Understanding Socially Responsible Investing: The Effect of Decision Frames and Trade-off Options," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 87(1), pages 41-55, April.
    49. Emma Avetisyan & Kai Hockerts, 2017. "Consolidation of the ESG Rating Industry as an Enactment of Institutional Retrogression," Post-Print hal-01695693, HAL.
    50. W-H Tsai & W-C Chou & W Hsu, 2009. "The sustainability balanced scorecard as a framework for selecting socially responsible investment: an effective MCDM model," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 60(10), pages 1396-1410, October.
    51. Sudheer Chava & Michael R. Roberts, 2008. "How Does Financing Impact Investment? The Role of Debt Covenants," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(5), pages 2085-2121, October.
    52. Elias Bengtsson, 2008. "A History of Scandinavian Socially Responsible Investing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 82(4), pages 969-983, November.
    53. Christel Dumas & Céline Louche, 2016. "Collective beliefs for responsible investment," Post-Print hal-01183744, HAL.
    54. Alexander Kempf & Peer Osthoff, 2008. "SRI Funds: Nomen est Omen," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9‐10), pages 1276-1294, November.
    55. Manapon Limkriangkrai & SzeKee Koh & Robert B. Durand, 2017. "Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Profiles, Stock Returns, and Financial Policy: Australian Evidence," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 17(3), pages 461-471, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luluk Widyawati, 2020. "A systematic literature review of socially responsible investment and environmental social governance metrics," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 619-637, February.
    2. Sharma, Gagan Deep & Tiwari, Aviral Kumar & Talan, Gaurav & Jain, Mansi, 2021. "Revisiting the sustainable versus conventional investment dilemma in COVID-19 times," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    3. Gallucci, Carmen & Santulli, Rosalia & Lagasio, Valentina, 2022. "The conceptualization of environmental, social and governance risks in portfolio studies A systematic literature review," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    4. Felipe Arias Fogliano de Souza Cunha & Erick Meira & Renato J. Orsato, 2021. "Sustainable finance and investment: Review and research agenda," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3821-3838, December.
    5. Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Arleta A. A. Majoch & Xiao Y. Zhou, 2021. "Does an Asset Owner’s Institutional Setting Influence Its Decision to Sign the Principles for Responsible Investment?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 168(2), pages 389-414, January.
    6. Anett Wins & Bernhard Zwergel, 2016. "Comparing those who do, might and will not invest in sustainable funds: a survey among German retail fund investors," Business Research, Springer;German Academic Association for Business Research, vol. 9(1), pages 51-99, April.
    7. Khan, Muhammad Arif, 2022. "ESG disclosure and Firm performance: A bibliometric and meta analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    8. Naeem, Muhammad Abubakr & Anwer, Zaheer & Khan, Ashraf & Paltrinieri, Andrea, 2024. "Do market conditions affect interconnectedness pattern of socially responsible equities?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 611-630.
    9. Don Andrew, 2020. "An Index to Measure the Integrity of Investment Companies Investing Responsibility," Journal of International Business Research and Marketing, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 5(5), pages 36-51, July.
    10. Tommy Gärling & Magnus Jansson, 2021. "Sustainable Investment: Consequences for Psychological Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-10, August.
    11. Sayema Sultana & Norhayah Zulkifli & Dalilawati Zainal, 2018. "Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Investment Decision in Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    12. Jonathan Peillex & Sabri Boubaker & Breeda Comyns, 2021. "Does It Pay to Invest in Japanese Women? Evidence from the MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 170(3), pages 595-613, May.
    13. Louis T. W. Cheng & Piyush Sharma & David C. Broadstock, 2023. "Interactive effects of brand reputation and ESG on green bond issues: A sustainable development perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 570-586, January.
    14. Pruthiranjan Dwibedi & Debasis Pahi & Antarjyami Sahu, 2024. "Mapping the landscape of environmental, social and governance research: A bibliometric analysis," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 3745-3767, September.
    15. Riikka Sievänen & Hannu Rita & Bert Scholtens, 2017. "European Pension Funds and Sustainable Development: Trade‐Offs between Finance and Responsibility," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(7), pages 912-926, November.
    16. Clementino, Ester & Perkins, Richard, 2020. "How do companies respond to environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings? Evidence from Italy," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103046, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Ellen Pei‐yi Yu & Christine Qian Guo & Bac Van Luu, 2018. "Environmental, social and governance transparency and firm value," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(7), pages 987-1004, November.
    18. Joliet, Robert & Titova, Yulia, 2018. "Equity SRI funds vacillate between ethics and money: An analysis of the funds’ stock holding decisions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 70-86.
    19. Ester Clementino & Richard Perkins, 2021. "How Do Companies Respond to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) ratings? Evidence from Italy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 171(2), pages 379-397, June.
    20. Vincenzo Pacelli & Francesca Pampurini & Anna Grazia Quaranta, 2023. "Environmental, Social and Governance investing: Does rating matter?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 30-41, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:353-:d:196966. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.