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Robust Portfolio Optimization with Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Preference

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  • Marcos Escobar-Anel

    (Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada)

  • Yiyao Jiao

    (Department of Statistical and Actuarial Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada)

Abstract

This study addresses the crucial but under-explored topic of ambiguity aversion, i.e., model misspecification, in the area of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) within portfolio decisions. It considers a risk- and ambiguity-averse investor allocating resources to a risk-free asset, a market index, a green stock, and a brown stock. The study employs a robust control approach rooted in relative entropy to account for model misspecification and derive closed-form optimal investment strategies. The key contribution of this study includes demonstrating, using two sets of empirical data on asset returns and ESG ratings, the substantial influence of ambiguity on optimal trading strategies, particularly highlighting the differential effects of market, green, and brown ambiguities. As a by-product of our analytical solutions, the study contrasts ambiguity-averse investors with their non-ambiguity counterparts, revealing more cautious risk exposures with a reduction in short-selling positions for the former. Furthermore, three types of investors who employ popular suboptimal strategies are identified, together with two loss measures used to quantify their performance. The findings reveal that popular strategies, not accounting for ESG and misspecification in the model, could lead to significant financial costs, with the extent of loss varying depending on those two factors: investors’ ambiguity aversion profiles and ESG preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Marcos Escobar-Anel & Yiyao Jiao, 2024. "Robust Portfolio Optimization with Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance Preference," Risks, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-29, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jrisks:v:12:y:2024:i:2:p:33-:d:1333422
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dimmock, Stephen G. & Kouwenberg, Roy & Mitchell, Olivia S. & Peijnenburg, Kim, 2016. "Ambiguity aversion and household portfolio choice puzzles: Empirical evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(3), pages 559-577.
    2. Gasser, Stephan M. & Rammerstorfer, Margarethe & Weinmayer, Karl, 2017. "Markowitz revisited: Social portfolio engineering," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 258(3), pages 1181-1190.
    3. Kocher, Martin G. & Lahno, Amrei Marie & Trautmann, Stefan T., 2018. "Ambiguity aversion is not universal," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 268-283.
    4. Escobar-Anel, Marcos, 2022. "Multivariate risk aversion utility, application to ESG investments," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    5. Pascal J. Maenhout, 2004. "Robust Portfolio Rules and Asset Pricing," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 951-983.
    6. Christian Flor & Linda Larsen, 2014. "Robust portfolio choice with stochastic interest rates," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 243-265, May.
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