Jonathon Porritt introduces you to the world of ethical and socially responsible investment.
Why consider ethical investment?
There is a growing desire to make a difference to the world we live in. More of us are recycling our waste, watching our fuel consumption and perhaps trying to buy fair trade products. We can extend this to our investment decisions too. For many investors, how and where their money is invested is as important as the potential returns.
If you are thinking about investing ethically, you may want to avoid investing in companies that:
- deal in the arms trade
- support oppressive regimes
- support tobacco companies
- pollute or damage the environment
- profit from gambling, pornography or the production of alcohol.
The adage 'money talks' is true – you can make a difference by where you choose to invest your savings, pensions, ISAs and so on.