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Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) or Ethical Investing integrates financial goals with positive personal values to give investors a voice in shaping the future of our society. Socially Responsible Investment in Australia is on the verge of a transition from being a niche activity to having a place in the mainstream investment options.
There is no universal definition of 'ethical investing' or SRI. A useful working definition is:
Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) can be defined as the intergration of an individual's investment objectives with his/her commitment to social concerns such as social justice, economic development, peace or a healthy environment.
Source: UK Social Investment Forum
The beauty of ethical investment or socially responsible investment is that everyone's vision of a brighter future is not the same. Some investors are more concerned about environmental problems, some feel strongly about how companies treat their employees, while others worry about the societal effects of certain products, such as tobacco, weapons, or alcohol. There are as many angles to socially responsible investing as there are investors, representing a mosaic of social concerns. But all of these angles share in common each respective individual's or institution's highest aspirations for the world.
What surprises many investors is that you can do well, while doing good. Most investors assume that there is a financial cost to combining societal and financial goals, what's known as a "double bottom line." But the outstanding performance of socially responsible indexes and mutual funds, as well as several recent studies, support the notion that investing with your values does not necessarily compromise your financial gains. On the contrary, some financial analysts suggest that companies that pay close attention to social and environmental risks and opportunities will be more competitive in the long run.
Other websites of interest:
The Sustainable Investment Research Institute (SIRIS) |
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