Investment Appraisal in ESG: Evaluating Sustainable Investments
Traditional investment appraisals focus on financial returns, how much profit an investment will generate.
But ESG investing (Environmental, Social, and Governance) requires companies to also evaluate non-financial risks and long-term sustainability.
Companies can’t just look at profitability, they have to consider climate impact, social responsibility, and governance risks.
Ignoring ESG factors can mean regulatory fines, reputational damage, or stranded assets (e.g., fossil fuel investments becoming obsolete).
Note
Many companies underestimate the long-term financial risks of ignoring ESG factors, leading to massive losses when regulations tighten.
How Investment Appraisal Works in ESG
ESG investments are assessed using:
Unlock the rest of this chapter with aFreeaccount
Nice try, unfortunately this paywall isn't as easy to bypass as you think. Want to help devleop the site? Join the team at https://revisiondojo.com/join-us. exercitation voluptate cillum ullamco excepteur sint officia do tempor Lorem irure minim Lorem elit id voluptate reprehenderit voluptate laboris in nostrud qui non Lorem nostrud laborum culpa sit occaecat reprehenderit
Definition
Paywall
(on a website) an arrangement whereby access is restricted to users who have paid to subscribe to the site.
anim nostrud sit dolore minim proident quis fugiat velit et eiusmod nulla quis nulla mollit dolor sunt culpa aliqua
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Note
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam quis nostrud exercitation.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident
Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit.
Tip
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris.
Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum.
Questions
Recap questions
1 of 5
Question 1
Recap question
Why might a sustainable project with a longer payback period still be considered financially superior over a conventional project with a shorter payback period?
End of article
Want a cheatsheet?
View a summary cheatsheet for 3.8 Investment appraisal
Flashcards
Remember key concepts with flashcards
13 flashcards
What do traditional investment appraisals focus on?
Lesson
Recap your knowledge with an interactive lesson
6 minute activity
Note
Introduction to Investment Appraisal
Investment appraisal is the process of evaluating the profitability and viability of an investment project.
Traditional methods focus on financial metrics like profit, cash flow, and return on investment.
In the context of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), investment appraisal also considers non-financial factors.
DefinitionInvestment AppraisalThe process of evaluating the potential financial returns and risks of an investment project.
AnalogyThink of investment appraisal like a doctor assessing a patient's health—not just looking at weight (financial returns) but also considering diet, exercise, and mental well-being (ESG factors).
ExampleWhen a company considers building a new factory, traditional investment appraisal would look at construction costs, expected revenue, and payback period.
NoteESG investment appraisal goes beyond traditional methods by considering long-term sustainability and ethical impact.
Common MistakeDon't assume that ESG factors are separate from financial factors—they can directly impact long-term profitability.