Which ESG+F dimension matters most to retail investors? An experimental study on financial decisions and future generations

Abstract

In this study, we address the ongoing debate about the relative importance of the three dimensions of the ESG framework and whether they are sufficient to capture the full scope of sustainability. We propose a new dimension, the Future Generations pillar (F-pillar), which aims to account for intergenerational equity and sustainability. Our online experiment explores how retail investors make investment decisions when presented with different combinations of financial and ESG information, including the F-pillar. Our findings suggest that retail investors try to balance their financial objectives with sustainability considerations. Moreover, the E-pillar appears to be most relevant when investors adopt a sustainability perspective, while the S-pillar is most relevant when investors consider the financial perspective. Interestingly, our results show that an explicit F-pillar is somewhat redundant, as individuals believe that the three existing ESG pillars already indirectly address the sustainability towards the future generations. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on the relevance of the ESG framework and highlights the need to further explore the interplay between financial and sustainability considerations in retail investment decision-making.