Kiwis are now demanding responsible investing, a conference was told in Auckland today.

Once a niche area, responsible investing is now mainstream, Matthew Minns, NZ representative of the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) told a packed conference at the Hilton Hotel today.

In 2010 the industry was worth just NZ$17 billion, now it’s worth NZ$183 billion and growing, Minns said.

Asset managers are finding that taking a responsible investing perspective has a positive effect on returns and reduces risk, he said.

Research showed 72 per cent of Kiwis want their KiwiSaver providers to invest responsibly, the conference was told.