While there is no universal definition, sustainable investing (or responsible investing) refers to an investment philosophy that considers environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria and can be grouped into the following two strategies: Socially Responsible Investing (SRI): Avoid harmful investments that do not align with your values (fossil fuels, for-profit prisons, civilian firearms, military weapons, etc.) ESG Investing: Integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into traditional investment processes to improve a portfolio’s long-term risk/return profile. Impact Investing: This investment approach goes beyond sustainable investing as the primary intent of this strategy is to generate measurable positive environmental and social impact. Learn more about how we measure impact.