Ninety One's Evans: Covid has accelerated UK companies' sustainability outcomes

Manager praises firms' actions on worker welfare

Positive outcomes on sustainability issues from UK companies have been brought forward by three years as many firms prioritised employee and customer welfare through the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, Ninety One's Matt Evans has said.

Companies in various sectors across the world were hit hard in H1 2020, as global lockdowns caused planes to be grounded as well as sporting, theatrical and musical events to be cancelled, leaving large swathes of the economy with zero revenue for months. Governments reacted by instituting schemes such as furlough in the UK, allowing companies to reduce their workforce without needing to fire people as the Government would pay up to 80% of their wages. All companies were able to access the furlough scheme, but Evans, who manages the £38m Ninety One UK Sustainable Equity fund, told Inv...