The issue of making sustainable investments in companies that are aware of their social and environmental responsibilities is becoming more and more important all over the world. In 2008, the European Sustainable Investment Forum (Eurosif) carried out a study on the development of sustainable investment markets in selected European countries. Commissioned by "Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen e.V.", adelphi assisted in the project by carrying out smaller studies looking at sustainable investments in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
These studies were based on surveys completed by financial service providers active in the sustainable investment sector in the three countries in question. The objective was to gather general data regarding the sustainable investment market, such as the volume of sustainable investment funds open to the general public, as well as the volumes of mandates and certificates. At the same time, trends and changes in the sustainable investment market were also to be identified and recorded. These smaller studies were published as part of the European SRI Study 2008.