Financial waters aren’t always easy to navigate. Some concepts may be simple to grasp, but things become more complex when it comes to investing in stocks and participating in retirement plans. This is where you, as a financial advisor or retirement plan sponsor, need to provide a guiding light and advocate for savers and investors to help steer them toward responsible financial decisions and away from ruin as best you can.
Consideration of environmental social governance (ESG) factors in investment decision-making for ERISA retirement plans has been a contested issue for several decades. Various presidential administrations have sought guidance from the Department of Labor (DOL) about how — or if — ERISA plan fiduciaries should value ESG components.
When plan sponsors and financial professionals choose plan investment options, their aim is to provide all participants with choices that are appropriate for their retirement savings objectives, while acknowledging that different people’s objectives are likely to vary widely.
