ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) has been a hot topic for several years.  Evolving from SRI (Socially Responsibile Investing), ESG has come to heavily influence many investment choices. 

ESG, perhaps better than any topic in view, best exemplifies the issue of Shareholder VOICE.  If you own stocks, you as an owner of those companies have a VOICE.  If you do not choose to voice it, by VOTING, it will be done for you by the Investment Companies in which your stock ownership resides.  

Some of those Investment Companies are receiving push back from a perception that they influence those corporations through exercise of influence on their company Boards.  Numerous states' Attorneys General have recently concluded actions taken by various Investment Companies are perhaps not in the best interest of shareholders relative to how the Investment Companies are voting them, and have put restrictions on working with these Companies with state funds.  So Share Voting is obviously an issue worth understanding. Other Investment Companies are actively trying to remove any undue influence, suggesting that steers large corporations from their core focuses into unprofitable ventures to the detriment of their shareholders ... perhaps YOU. 

Whether you are pro-ESG in its present format, or subscribe to the latter view there is undue influence perhaps working against you, it is a good topic to understand as an investor.  In the sections below, hear the issue described by various leaders of the industry from various sides!