Key Highlights from the US SIF 2025 Survey
Sustainable assets under management (AUM) and investor sentiment show resilience and optimism amid political headwinds:
Sustainable and stewardship assets in the US held firm in 2025, demonstrating resilience amid political headwinds. While total market AUM expanded by 17.5%, sustainable assets rose modestly in absolute terms, from $6.5 trillion to $6.6 trillion, and stewardship coverage increased from $41.5 trillion to $42.7 trillion, reflecting stable investor commitment rather than the contraction many anticipated. This resilience is reinforced by survey findings, with around 70% of respondents reporting they remain hopeful and committed to sustainability’s long-term future.
• Sustainable Investment (AUM): US SIF analysis, based on submissions to the SEC, records the US market size as $61.7 trillion, of which $6.6 trillion (versus $6.5 trillion in 2024) were identified or marketed as Sustainable or ESG investments.
• Market Size and Stewardship (AUM): US SIF analysis finds that 69% of the US market AUM, or $42.7 trillion, was covered by an active stewardship policy.
More research is needed to assess how investors are translating stewardship policies into tangible actions and engagements.
US SIF Survey insights on Sustainable Investing
• Perceptions on the growth of sustainable investing: 53% of individuals expect the sustainable investment market to grow over the next year; this compares to 73% in 2024. Notably 20% thought they may see a decline in growth (up from 3% last year). However, from an organizational perspective, there was little change year-on-year with 35% believing that their firms will increase sustainable investing.
• Political pushback has moderated, not reversed ESG activity: A majority of respondents reported that most external events – ranging from climate and regulatory shifts to political dynamics – had no adverse effect on their sustainable investment activity. In several cases, particularly around climate and nature-related risks, respondents indicated an increased motivation to allocate capital to more sustainable strategies.
• The key drivers of integrating sustainability have returned to the fundamentals: A focus on fiduciary duty, financially material risk and opportunity and clients’ value-alignment
• Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Half of respondents said they use the SDGs as a guiding investment framework, up from 43% last year. with climate change and the clean energy transition remain the top priorities, followed by economic growth, and clean water and sanitation.