Global investors are growing sceptical of the sustainability performance metrics reported by companies, as wariness around greenwashing mounts.
PwC's 2023 Global Investor Survey, which sought opinions from 345 investors and analysts, found that more than nine in ten investors (94%) believe corporate reporting on sustainability performance contains unsupported claims, an increase from last year.
According to the firm, greenwashing concerns may explain the support investors expressed for new disclosure requirements, such as those from the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and International Sustainability Standards Board.
More than half (57%) of investors said that if companies meet the upcoming regulations and standards, it will meet their information needs for decision-making to a "large" or "very large extent".
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Moreover, the survey highlighted that third-party assurance would increase confidence in sustainability reporting, with 85% of investors noting that reasonable assurances would give them confidence in sustainability reporting to a "moderate", "large", or "very large extent".
Investors still consider sustainability to be a crucial aspect, with 75% indicating that a company's handling of sustainability-related risks and opportunities significantly influences their investment choices. However, this reflects a slight decrease of 4% from last year.
There is also a growing interest in understanding a company's influence on society and the environment. Of those, 75% believe that companies should reveal the monetary value of their impact on the environment or society, marking an increase from 66% in 2022.
"Sustainability is clearly on the minds of investors, and they are pressing to understand how companies incorporate sustainability considerations into strategic decision-making, risk management and their financial statements," said authors James Chalmers and Nadja Picard.
"Investors want to know how a company's sustainability plans square with its business model and, ultimately, its prospects for creating long-term value."
Beyond sustainability, the survey found that while macroeconomic and inflationary concerns are still top-of mind, they have eased from 2022's highs. There have been growing concerns about climate risks this year, now equalling the level of concern associated with cyber risks.
Embedding sustainability into business decisions
The survey also portrays an investment environment shaped by technological advancements, with 59% of respondents pinpointing technological change as the primary factor expected to impact how companies generate value in the next three years.
Particularly, 61% emphasised the accelerated adoption of artificial intelligence as "very" or "extremely important".
"We are seeing significant steps towards more consistent reporting from companies around climate change, however there is a need for improvement," said Picard.
"All the while, investors are calling for greater engagement around how companies manage the opportunities and risks of new technologies, particularly generative AI, as new technologies increasingly drive business transformation and investment."
