Examining socially responsible investment preferences: A discrete choice conjoint experiment

Abstract

Using a hierarchical Bayesian estimation of a discrete choice conjoint model, this research examines preferences for different responsible investment characteristics from the perspective of pension beneficiaries. We conducted a choice-based conjoint experiment in which participants were invited to select a preferred investment portfolio among different options by combining attributes such as socially responsible investments and impact investments. Based on a sample of 334 respondents, the results show the utility and relative importance that members of the administrative organization of a Dutch pension fund with a cooperative structure attach to the socially responsible portfolio. Latent class analysis yielded three segments of pension beneficiaries with different levels of psychological distance toward socially responsible investments.