
The dirty secret behind ESG funds (and how the experts spot a fake)
From Basis Points by Equity Mates Media
June 2, 2026 · 26 min · Season 2
About this episode
Alison George discusses how to identify genuine ESG funds and the challenges of greenwashing in ethical investing.
Want to learn how to sniff out red flags and greenwashing from a mile away? Australian Ethical’s Chief Impact & Ethics Officer Alison George has spent 20 years crafting her nose for it. In this episode she shares her Green and Red flags for choosing ESG funds plus the questions advisers can ask to cut through the greenwashing spin. She also tackles why the ethical investment industry needs to communicate better with investors - and whether you'll get better bang for your buck backing a transitioning fossil fuel giant over a tiny wind farm. Chapters : 00:00:00 Ethical Investing Under Fire 00:02:10 ESG After The Boom 00:08:12 When Ethics Trigger Divestment 00:11:54 Spotting Genuine ESG Funds 00:13:30 Backing Real Climate Winners 00:16:34 Advisers And Client Values 00:20:26 Climate Risk And Greenwashing 00:23:36 Pay-To-Play ESG Concerns 00:24:51 Risks Shaping The Future 00:27:18 Why Inequality Connects Everything 📈 Stocks and ETFs Mentioned: National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) WiseTech (ASX: WTC) Lendlease (ASX: LLC) Links Mentioned: Register for early bird finfest tickets here - http://equitymates.com/finfest-industry ——— CPD Points: This episode is accredited for the following…
People in this episode
Guest: Alison George
Topics covered
- ESG funds
- greenwashing
- ethical investing
- investment strategies
- climate risk
- financial advice
Keywords
- ESG
- greenwashing
- ethical investment
- investment advice
- climate change
- financial markets
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Australian Ethical, Financial Advice Association of Australia
Products: National Australia Bank, WiseTech, Lendlease
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