ESG speaks from the perspective of a rich country

Since ESG emerged in the 1960s, its identity has morphed in accordance with the pressing problems of the day and has broadened out to cover an ever-growing remit of issues. Amid today's energy crisis, the focus on the energy transition has been an even bigger topic within the investment industry as a whole, and even more so in ESG-minded funds. But the narrative of the energy transition within ESG is not inclusive of emerging markets, according to Matthews Asia's new CEO Cooper Abbott, who said it was not a term used within the company. Instead, he prefers to use sustainability, as it...