How Individual Investors Are Approaching Sustainable Investing in 2026

Apr 23, 2026

Sentiment remains strong globally, even as average portfolio allocations edged down slightly. Expectations about returns continue to shape investment decisions.

Key Takeaways

 
  • Allocation to sustainable investments averaged 31% in 2026, slightly down on 33% in 2025 even as positive sentiment grows.
  • Expectations for financial returns continue to shape sustainable investment decisions, as performance remains the primary driver of both interest and allocation.
  • Thematic interests span a broad range, while one-third cite greenwashing as a very significant concern.
  • Private markets are emerging as a key area of opportunity for sustainable and impact investing.

Interest in sustainable investing among individual investors remains high globally, according to Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing’s 2026 "Sustainable Signals: Individual Investors" report. Yet as enthusiasm rises, average portfolio allocations to sustainable investments have declined modestly over the past year.

 

Our latest survey of 2,250 individual investors across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific finds that 92% are interested in sustainable investing, up four percentage points from 2025. At the same time, the average share of portfolios allocated to sustainable investments slipped from 33% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, pointing to a slight disconnect between sentiment and allocation behavior.

 

 

Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, April 2026

 

“Our latest Sustainable Signals survey shows that performance continues to be the top driver of individual investors’ interest in sustainable investing as they look to achieve both market-rate returns and real-world impacts,” said Jessica Alsford, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chair of the Institute for Sustainable Investing at Morgan Stanley. “Looking ahead, a majority of individual investors see greater opportunity for sustainable investments in private markets, especially for portfolio diversification and investing in innovation.”

 

Expectations about returns remain the key driver of investment decisions

As in prior years, financial performance remains a central factor influencing both interest in and allocation to sustainable investments. More than four‑fifths of respondents say returns are a central driver of their interest, whether to support real‑world outcomes alongside market‑rate returns or because they believe sustainable investments may deliver competitive performance.

 

Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, April 2026

 

Those expectations continue to shape portfolio decisions. Nearly two‑thirds (64%) of investors say they plan to increase their allocation to sustainable investments over the next year, most often citing confidence in financial performance. Another 28% expect to maintain current exposure, commonly for diversification purposes, while just 5% plan to decrease allocations, most commonly citing disappointing returns.

 

The findings suggest that while many investors view sustainability as complementary to financial objectives, confidence in performance remains essential.

 

Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, April 2026

 

Investors pursue diverse sustainability themes, with greenwashing a top concern

The survey also shows that investors are engaging with sustainable investing across a broad range of themes. A quarter of respondents say their top priority is advancing a combination of environmental and social goals, followed by financial inclusion and health and wellness, each cited by 15%. Across regions, all seven sustainability themes included in the survey rank as a first or second priority for at least one‑fifth of investors.

 

At the same time, barriers to sustainable investing have become slightly more prominent this year. Greenwashing remains the most frequently cited concern, with nearly one‑third of investors rating it as a significant issue. Beyond interest and allocation, more than three-quarters of investors indicate that the availability of sustainable investment options influences their choice of financial advisor.

 

Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, April 2026

Private markets emerge as a growing area of opportunity

Private markets are also playing a larger role in how investors think about sustainable and impact investing. Almost three‑quarters of respondents say they either already invest in private markets or plan to do so in the future, and 64% see greater opportunity for sustainable or impact investments in private assets than in public markets.

 

Investors with the highest exposure to sustainable investments are particularly likely to participate in private markets today, reflecting interest in innovation, new technologies and diversification alongside potential impact.

 

Source: Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, April 2026

Read the "Sustainable Signals: Individual Investors 2026" Report

Click the link below to download and read the full report.