The events of 2020 have impacted how institutional investors think about diversity (gender, race, LGBTQ, etc.) in their investment portfolios. Against this backdrop, Aon conducted a survey of institutional investors, including public and corporate pensions, endowments, foundations, defined contribution plans, healthcare organizations, and other asset owners that revealed increased pressure from boards and beneficiaries to address diversity in their portfolio.
This report examines the potential challenges associated with diverse investing initiatives, as well as the following topics:
- Reasons why investors pursue diverse investing initiatives
- Current trends in institutional investor diversity policies/programs
- Potential components of diverse investment programs
- How diversity is defined and the pros and cons of those definitions
- The ongoing impediments to launching diverse manager programs