I went to EQ Investors’ Sustainability Conference at the start of the month and it was brilliant. Speakers from various fund houses talking about sustainability, and it
It reinforced why we invest sustainably in the first place.
Yes, Donald Trump might be shouting “Drill, baby, drill!”, but that doesn’t mean sustainable investing suddenly stops making sense. In fact, quite the opposite.
It’s Not Just About Doing Good — It’s About Doing Well
A lot of people assume companies focus on sustainability because they want to “do the right thing” and are driven by investor sentiment. While that’s nice in theory, the main driver is financial: being sustainable often helps companies make more money and that is what is all about – the bottom line.
Things like using resources more efficiently, looking after staff, and planning for the long term all help businesses perform better — and that’s what ultimately benefits investors too.
Presidents Come and Go — Company Strategies Don’t
Sustainability policies aren’t something companies flip on and off depending on who’s in charge at the White House. These are long-term strategies designed to build resilience, reduce risk, and protect reputations.
They might be a bit quieter about it under Trump (green hushing), but they’re still doing the work. In fact, the number of listed companies setting science-based sustainability targets is actually going up, not down.
Treating People Well Pays Off
It’s also clear that companies with better staff policies tend to perform better financially. Looking after people isn’t just good ethics — it’s good business.
Trump, Fossil Fuels, and the Bigger Picture
Trump’s focus is on what makes America money right now (great again!), which is fossil fuels. He’s not a fan of electric vehicles either, mostly because China dominates the EV market (sorry, Elon).
But here’s the thing: Trump will be around for maybe three more years. The planet, and the companies planning for the next few decades, will be around a lot longer. That’s where we’re focused — the future, not the political noise.
The AI Energy Boom
AI is another big theme shaping sustainability. It’s amazing tech, but it also eats up a lot of energy. Data centres powering all that “cloud” computing use huge amounts of electricity and need a lot of cooling, and demand is only going up.
This means that technology is getting far more efficient. Without these improvements, global energy demand from AI would be 7 x higher than it is today!!
That’s a huge opportunity for the companies developing cleaner, smarter, more efficient ways to power our world — many of which are already in EQ Investors’ sustainable portfolios.
The Takeaway
Trump may be back, but sustainable investing isn’t going anywhere. Political cycles are short; the push toward cleaner, more efficient, more resilient businesses is here to stay.
In short: sustainability still makes sense — for people, the planet, and your portfolio.
