It’s been a time of reckoning for environmental, social, and governance analysis and sustainable investing. A hurricane of criticism has arisen in recent years, with accusations ranging from deceptiveness and ineffectiveness to a secret agenda to impose “woke” values on capitalism and society.(1)

Lately, such accusations are at the heart of a Republican Party attack against so-called “woke capitalism,” or companies espousing social and environmental causes. The loudest critics are a lineup of aspiring presidential candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has proposed legislation to stop his state’s public pension fund from considering ESG factors when investing its assets.

Read more from Morningstar.