SURVEY SAYS: How do you feel about the DOL guidance on impact investing?

Last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a piece of guidance Labor Secretary Thomas Perez says will significantly expand the use of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing principals—what the Department prefers to call economically targeted investments (ETIs)—under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

A regular PLANSPONSOR contributor, Michael Barry, immediately offered his views about what may be a problem with the DOL’s stamp of approval on this type of investing for retirement plans. See “Barry’s Pickings: The Problem with ESG Investing.”

This week, I’d like to know, do you think the DOL’s guidance is a positive or negative for retirement plan sponsors and participants, and what is your reaction to Michael Barry’s thoughts about it? Of course, your responses are always anonymous.