Investors worldwide have little trust in the investment profession and believe there is much that can be done to restore trust, according to the CFA Institute/Edelman Investor Trust Study which polled 2,104 retail and institutional investors.
The study reveals that just 53% of investors in the US, UK, Hong Kong, Canada and Australia trust investment firms to do what is right. Retail investors are less trusting of the industry (51%) than their institutional counterparts (61%), and investors in the U.S. (44%) and UK (39%) are less trusting than those in Hong Kong (68%).
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This lack of trust in the investment industry does not translate to the capital markets; nearly three-in-four investors report they are optimistic about their ability to earn a fair return in capital markets.
Yet intensity of that confidence is low, as just 19% of investors strongly agree that they have a fair opportunity.
John Rogers, CFA, president and CEO of CFA Institute, said: "This survey sends a clear message. Trust is absolutely critical to the future of finance, and it is up to all of us to help shape a more trustworthy financial system.
"Investors believe the professionals they work with have been the most effective in earning their trust. This represents a significant opportunity for investment professionals and firms to actively build a culture where ethical practices are valued as highly as investment performance," Rogers added.
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By GlobalDataJust over half of investors (55%) note that investment managers they work with have been the most effective in enhancing their trust in the capital markets – more than investment firms (41%), national regulators (38%) or global regulators (35%).
Ben Boyd, global chair of Edelman’s corporate practice, said: "When people lost trust in business during the financial crisis, they turned to government. And when they lost trust in government, they turned to individuals.
"Through our thirteen years of studying trust through the Edelman Trust Barometer, we have increasingly seen an emphasis placed on individuals to behave in ways that build trust and protect reputation. As this study shows, this holds true for the investment management industry as well," Boyd added.
The study also reveals that putting investors’ interests first is critical. Investors report that trusting an investment manager to act in their best interest is the single most important factor in making a hiring decision. Achieving high returns was cited only half as often, and fee amounts/structure only a fifth as much.
Investors also indicate that behavior-related attributes – including transparent and open business practices, responsible actions to address an issue or crisis and ethical business practices – are more important to trust-building than performance-related attributes such as delivering consistent financial returns and offering high quality products or services.
Kurt Schacht, CFA, managing director, Standards and Financial Market Integrity at CFA Institute, said: "By focusing only on performance-centric standards, the industry is missing opportunities to build trust.
"Investors indicate in this study that they want a culture shift – a renewed focus on ethical behavior. Individual investment managers must be transparent, demonstrate integrity, and communicate clearly to strengthen client relationships and preserve trust in the industry and the markets at large," Schacht added.
The CFA Institute/Edelman Investor Trust Study polled 2,104 retail and institutional investors in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The study focused on asset owners only (not intermediaries) with 1,604 retail and 500 institutional investors included.
