Opinion poll
Interest from savings in sustainable investment decreases
Many younger people focus on sustainability in the investment, but seniors, East Germans and childless waves: A study also shows social ditches for finances. What moves savers?
Climate goals are softened, companies sacrifice diversity programs: In times of Donald Trump, sustainability and environmental protection have become more important. This is also evident in the behavior of savers. Their interest in sustainable investment has shrunk for the second year in a row, a representative survey of the comparison portal Verivox emerges.
Accordingly, 64 percent are interested in investments that meet ecological, social and ethical minimum standards – such as funds that forego shares from industries such as armor, tobacco, oil and gas or gambling. In an earlier study in the previous year, 69 and 2022 were even 79 percent interested in sustainable systems.
Only every sixth (16 percent) is invested in such financial products, according to the survey, in which around 1,000 people took part in May. A year ago it was 21 percent and three years ago almost a quarter (24 percent). Instead of climate protection, other topics dominated the debates today, says Oliver Maier, Managing Director of Verivox Finanzverbagerglei GmbH.
Big differences between parents and childless
The greatest openness in young adults under the age of 30 is greatest. According to the study, 81 percent of general interest in ecologically and ethically flawless investments. In contrast, only half of the 70-year-olds are interested in ESG systems-the label stands for environment (environment), social (social) and governance (good corporate management).
The lack of interest in sustainable investments among East Germans is also 44 percent larger than in West Germans (36 percent) and in childless households almost twice as high (40 percent) as with families with children.
In general, more than half (55 percent) of the respondents with interest in sustainable investments would definitely do without “or” rather “return if the investments comply with important sustainability standards. This would not be possible for 34 percent.
Fair work and animal welfare particularly important
There are big differences in the criteria that the respondents find important. They attach the most value to the avoidance of exploitative working conditions and animal experiments (37 percent each). Even a gentle handling of the resources of the planet and investments in renewable energies are often mentioned (29 and 27 percent), as is the exclusion of industries such as gambling (22 percent) and armor (20 percent).
dpa
Source: Stern
