Press Room

New York, NY, July 15, 2021 —There is no question but that diversity and inclusion have become significant factors as financial institutions and other businesses look to recruit and retain a diverse pool of talent as well as to attract new clients and investors. So what about the investment management industry? What impact has DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) had with respect to institutions’ investment practices?

To measure the influence DEI has had on institutional investing to date, Tannenbaum Helpern, along with others, teamed up with Alternatives Watch, a news and research platform that covers the evolving world of alternative investments geared toward institutional investors, to launch a survey, Finding the S in ESG. The survey was sent to 1,100 end-investor decision makers.

“Diversity and inclusion initiatives are gaining traction with investment managers, a trend that will almost certainly continue given reported mandates,” says Wayne Davis, Chair of Tannenbaum Helpern’s Investment Management practice.

Survey results show the investment management industry may be in the early days of promoting diversity. That said, of the survey respondents who are currently active in sourcing diverse firms and funds, a majority have boosted their mandate from a 0-5% allocation to diverse investment firms in 2020 to a 6-10% allocation to D&I firms in 2021. The survey covers key questions including what investors consider when determining a manager is diverse and what they see as a challenge in investing in diversity & inclusion firms.

“The results point to a growing realization that that diverse viewpoints in managing an investment strategy matter,” said Alternatives Watch Editor Susan Barreto. “Institutional investors too are still in the early days of promoting diversity within their own offices as well as within their investment portfolios, but the key initiatives are happening.”

Other sponsors of the survey includes HFR Investments, HS Marketing, Hedge Connection, S-Factor, VC Include and Fiftyfaces Podcast.

About Alternatives Watch
Alternatives Watch is a daily news and research platform that covers the rapidly evolving world of alternative investments geared toward institutional investors. We cover investor mandate activity as well as manager news across private market sectors including hedge funds, private equity, private credit, infrastructure and real estate. For more information about our contributors, staff and other special reports and research, please visit https://www.alternativeswatch.com/about-us/.

About Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP’s mission is to deliver the highest quality legal services in a practical and efficient manner, bringing to bear the judgment, common sense and expertise of well trained, business minded lawyers. Through our commitment to service and successful results, Tannenbaum Helpern continues to earn the loyalty of our clients and a reputation for excellence.