Standard Life ESG investment will be a major trend in the year ahead. Standard Life Aberdeen has announced plans for 25 new funds centered around sustainability. According to Citywire, the firm is looking to bolster its brand and incorporate ESG into almost every investment decision. Keith Skeoch announced the plan during the publication of the company’s full-year financial performance this week.

Standard Life ESG Status

According to a statement, the firm received significant interest from shareholders and stakeholders around ESG.

“ESG is not a buzz word in our business, this is how we’ve been running our investment process for almost three decades,” said Skeoch. The company’s pivot comes at a time that it saw its net outflows from funds drop dramatically since 2018.

“We will continue to invest in and launch more sustainable products this year,” said Campbell Fleming, global head of distribution at Standard Life. “We are seeing significant interest in our ESG practices.”

Fleming continued: “Investors want their investments to have a social and environmental impact on the planet. For those thinking long-term, they need to think about their impact on the environment. If you have a look at some of our equity capabilities, we are shifting that to work more on sustainable investing.”

Related: Institutional Investors Press Hedge Funds on ESG Investing