Renu Jonwall, Seema Gupta and Shuchi Pahuja
India is an emerging economy and one of the preferred investment destinations for environmental, social and governance (ESG) fund issuers. Institutional investors invest retail…
Abstract
Purpose
India is an emerging economy and one of the preferred investment destinations for environmental, social and governance (ESG) fund issuers. Institutional investors invest retail investors’ money, and hence, it becomes imperative for ESG fund managers to understand the social investment preferences of retail investors. This study aims to compare the Indian socially responsible (SR) investors and conventional investors in terms of their socially responsible investment (SRI) awareness level, opinions about broad and specific ESG issues, investment behavior and demographics. In addition, this paper makes an attempt to have a deeper insight into Indian investors’ behavior toward SRI by segmenting the Indian retail investors based on their SRI awareness level, attitude toward ESG issues and intention to accept lower financial returns, and choices made by them as consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
After collecting the data through the survey method an independent t-test is used to compare SR investors with conventional investors. Chi-square has been used to analyze the data related to demographics, and cluster analysis is used to identify segments among Indian retail investors.
Findings
The results indicated that Indian SR investors’ SRI awareness level is more, they are more concerned about broad and specific ESG issues, they are more into faith-based investing, and are responsible consumers vis-à-vis conventional investors. As per demographic, SR investors are in the middle age group of 30–40 years, male, hold a postgraduate degree and have an annual income of 10–20 lakhs in comparison to conventional investors. The results of cluster analysis indicated that Indian retail investors can be classified into three groups based on their SRI awareness, intention to sacrifice financial return, attitude toward ESG issues and choices made by them as consumers.
Research limitations/implications
Results have implications for national and international fund managers, policymakers, regulators and society. These results will help mutual fund companies to provide curated SR mutual funds as per the behavior and choice of retail investors and penetrate the Indian investment market more deeply.
Originality/value
This research study contributes to the literature on SRI by identifying the differentiating characteristics of Indian SR and conventional investors and segmenting Indian retail investors on the basis of their SRI awareness, the importance of ESG issues and choices made by them as investors and consumers.
Details
Keywords
Renu Jonwall, Seema Gupta and Shuchi Pahuja
Socially responsible investment (SRI) is a niche and upcoming investment strategy in India. Very few researches have been conducted on SRI in the Indian context. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Socially responsible investment (SRI) is a niche and upcoming investment strategy in India. Very few researches have been conducted on SRI in the Indian context. This study identifies the SRI awareness level, attitude towards the importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues, willingness to invest in SRI avenues and obstacles in SRI investment decision-making by Indian retail investors. The second objective was among the awareness, attitude, willingness, obstacle, and demographic constructs to identify the most significant variables that impact an individual investor's SRI decision in India. .
Design/methodology/approach
Data for the study have been collected through a self-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics are used to identify the importance of variables for individual investors. This paper used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to understand the factors impacting individual investors' SRI behavior. Binary logistics regression analysis is used to recognize the variables that affect an individual investor's SRI decision.
Findings
The descriptive statistics indicate a low level of SRI awareness; the majority of the investors agreed that ESG issues are significant in investing and showed a willingness to invest in SRI avenues. However, the investors were not willing to accept lower returns from SRI. The majority of investors found, lower returns on SRIs, no tax benefit, lack of information about SRIs, and low liquidity as important obstacles in SRI investing. Binary logistics regression results indicated that awareness about SR/ESG indices, awareness about SR/ESG funds, and willingness to invest in SRI avenues significantly impact investors' SRI decisions but demographic variables have no significant impact on SRI decision-making.
Practical implications
This study has implications for the ethical/SR mutual funds managers, policymakers, government, and international asset management companies. The study finds an urgent need for increasing awareness about SRI among individual investors in India. The study suggests that the issuers must provide adequate information about SRI avenues and probable risk and returns involved in these, while the regulators must make efforts to educate investors in India.
Originality/value
The context of the present study is original because hardly any of the earlier studies conducted in India have tried to find out the individual investors' SRI awareness level, investors' willingness towards SRI, investors' attitude towards ESG issues, and obstacles faced by investors in socially responsible investing.
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To obtain opinions of Chartered Accountants (CAs) on the need for verifying environmental statements produced by a concern and desired status and qualifications of experts doing…
Abstract
Purpose
To obtain opinions of Chartered Accountants (CAs) on the need for verifying environmental statements produced by a concern and desired status and qualifications of experts doing such an audit. To examine EIA systems of large manufacturing companies operating in India.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data collected by using two structured questionnaires: the first one to obtain opinions of CAs and the second one to examine EIA practices followed by the selected companies.
Findings
The users think that companies should produce duly verified environmental reports to increase credibility of these reports. They prefer appointment of a team of external duly qualified environmental auditors for this purpose. Majority of the sample companies prepare only statutorily required environmental statements. Most of these companies claim that they provide audited information in these statements verified generally by external environmental auditors.
Research limitations/implications
Some of the respondents gave incomplete answers for not disclosing their organizational policies because of perceived sensitive nature of environmental issues. Non‐manufacturing and small companies not included in the sample.
Practical implications
Make EIA mandatory at least in major polluting industries. An urgent need to develop standards covering the scope and limitations of third party EIAs was realised. Companies should also voluntarily try to provide audited environmental information in the annual reports to build credibility and trust among corporate stakeholders.
Originality/value
The paper presents empirical evidence from interviews with CAs and executives from the selected companies in India and provides insight into the need for EIA.
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The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of selected company‐ and industry‐related variables on environmental disclosure practices (EDPs) of the large manufacturing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of selected company‐ and industry‐related variables on environmental disclosure practices (EDPs) of the large manufacturing Indian companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The work was done in three phases. In the first phase, an index of environmental disclosure was constructed consisting of 23 items of environmental information. Opinions of chartered accountants were obtained on the importance of each of these items in making sound investment and other decisions. Using this index, in the second phase, EDPs in the annual reports of 91 large manufacturing companies were examined for a period of three consecutive years. Environmental disclosure score (EDS) percentages were calculated for each of the companies for all the three years. The relationship between EDS percentages and ten selected variables was analyzed with the help of the multiple regression technique in the last phase.
Findings
The results provide strong evidence in support of the influence of variables size, profitability, sector, industry and environmental performance on EDPs.
Research limitations/implications
The work involves analysis of EDPs of large manufacturing companies in India only. Non‐manufacturing and small companies were excluded from the scope of the work. Disclosure of environmental information by other media like stand‐alone corporate environmental report (CER) and internet was not considered. It was felt that further research was necessary to find the impact of other factors like country origin, organizational culture, experience with pressure groups and media profile on disclosure practices.
Practical implications
It was felt that environmental reporting should be made mandatory in India at least in the major polluting industries. Companies should also voluntarily try to provide audited environmental information in the annual reports to build credibility and trust among corporate stakeholders.
Originality/value
The paper presents empirical evidence of EDPs of large manufacturing companies in India. It provides an insight into the factors that cause a difference in these practices.