MILAN (ITALPRESS) – The theme of the 2025 edition of Salone SRI, held on November 18-19 at the Milan Stock Exchange, is “Show me the money”: an invitation to consider sustainable investments as levers capable of generating value in the long term. A principle that finds concrete application also in the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) offer launched by Fideuram-ISPB. In this context, Simone Chelini, Head of ESG & Strategic Activism of Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking, said that “the customer response is still very strong. Just quote a few numbers: 80% of our masses are invested in article 8 and article 9 products and, even this year, almost 90% of the new products included in the range are classified article 8 and article 9”. “So, in summary, customers still have great interest in sustainability and these numbers show it,” he said. One element of particular attention is the geopolitical crises in place, from the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to the recent tensions in the Middle East and in the Gaza Strip. But did these issues lead to a strong shift from ESG investments? “No, absolutely the opposite,” said Chelini. “In the last two years the masses of our customers invested in article 8 products and article 9 have grown of 70-80% – he explained – Our customers clearly reflect on geopolitical tensions: support sustainable products even more national security-oriented solutions, but they do not remove them from sustainable products.” If, on the one hand, international tensions can lead to greater reflections on how to direct investment, an opportunity can instead derive from artificial intelligence. However, the enormous consumption of electricity and water from its use must not be neglected. According to Chelini, AI is “another element that can stimulate sustainable investments. Just think about the base on which it is based: data centers. They are strongly energetic structures and with high water consumption. In some areas of the United States, where they are more widespread, in the last five years the cost of energy has grown by almost 270%. This opens up opportunities related to renewable energy sources and therefore new investment possibilities for products article 8 and article 9”. “Another example concerns the use of water in linear or circular optics, capable of creating incentives for investments for sustainable products. And that’s why investors certainly invest in products that are more AI-oriented, but still invest in sustainable products,” he concluded.
– press office photos Intesa Sanpaolo – (ITALPRESS).
