2020 saw a 36 percent increase in philanthropic commitments, particularly for health and environmental initiatives, according to Vistra in its first global research study on private wealth and the future of philanthropy, Global Private Wealth and the Future of Philanthropy 2021: Looking Beyond the Covid-19 Pandemic. The sectors may remain the top beneficiaries of corporate and private donation in the next 12 months, as well.
And with the pandemic, the importance of each environmental, social and governance (ESG) element has increased, but environmental concerns continue to remain low on investment considerations.
Considering the rise of ESG-guided investment, alongside a broader awareness of climate issues globally, the survey also examined attitudes towards ESG investment. The element of ESG which was most important when making an investment decision was social (41 percent), followed by corporate governance (31 percent) and then environment (28 percent).