Boston University Impact Measurement & Allocation Program

ESG Investing

Responding to growing demand from consumers, employees, governmental agencies, and now investors, companies around the world are paying increasing attention to the impact of their actions on the natural environment, the communities they serve, and society at large. So much so that it has become more customary for companies today to have policies towards environmental and social responsibility and to report on such activities.

Companies consider this corporate social responsibility. Investors variously call this socially responsible investing or impact investing or ESG investing that addresses the Environmental, Social, and Governance concerns of asset owners.

BU Impact Measurement & Allocation Program (IMAP)

While there are widely accepted standards to report and measure financial performance, standardized measures on environmental, social, and governance impact are still in their infancy. In response to the growing demand for improved ESG standards, the Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability and the Susilo Institute for Ethics in the Global Economy at the Questrom School of Business are jointly spearheading the Impact Measurement and Allocation Program (IMAP), a multi-year socially responsible investing research initiative.

IMAP aims to develop and disseminate measurement methods and metrics that more accurately reflect and communicate the social and environmental impact of businesses. We believe these are missing ingredients to bring about more responsible business behavior that would mitigate risks and harness long-term value for all stakeholders—shareholders, employees, and society at large.