The principle behind E.S.G. is that investors should look beyond just whether a company can make a profit and take into account other factors, such as its environmental impact and action on social issues.

But critics of that investment strategy, mostly Republicans, say that Wall Street has taken a sharp left turn, attacking what they term “woke capitalism.”

Guest: David Gelles, a climate correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• How did environmentally conscious investing became a target of conservatives?
• Republicans are likely to keep making E.S.G. a political punching bag.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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