Morgan Stanley WM Bolsters Its Impact Investing Offerings

Josh O'Neill

8 March 2017

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management has rolled out two new sustainable investing portfolios with reduced account minimums of $10,000 on its investing with impact platform.

The pair of portfolios – Investing with Impact Access Balanced and Investing with Impact Access Equity – look to provide investors with diversified, goal-specific solutions to align financial aims with personal values, the firm says.

The portfolios leverage the firm's asset allocation expertise, its investment manager evaluation and due diligence processes, and the product selection and portfolio construction recommendations from its manager solutions unit. Eligible investments include mutual funds and exchange-traded funds approved by the company's global investment manager analysis team.

“Sustainably invested assets now account for more than one out of every five dollars under professional management in the US,” said Hilary Irby, head of Morgan Stanley's investing with impact initiative.

Lisa Shalett, head of wealth management investment resources, added: “Leveraging the firm’s best thinking on investment manager analysis and portfolio construction, the investing with impact access portfolios combine highly regarded third-party managers across a range of investing with impact approaches into a well-diversified model portfolio.”

Morgan Stanley's investing with impact platform, which launched in 2012, now has more than 140 investment products that aim to deliver strong returns while creating positive environmental and social impacts.