Socially responsible investing |

Have you ever considered investing in socially responsible companies? Not sure how to find these companies? And what exactly is socially responsible investing (SRI)? An investment is considered to be socially responsible when the company you are investing in does not produce or sell any addictive products such as alcohol or tobacco, is environmentally friendly, uses alternative energy and clean technologies to produce their products and provides healthy working conditions in overseas factories, as well as at home. These investments can be made in individual companies or through mutual funds. In Canada the Responsible Investment Association is a non-profit organization that provides public awareness of responsible investment (RI) and believes that RI is a valuable investment tool to enhance returns, reduce risk, and catalyze positive social change.

Although historians believe that SRI has been around since biblical times, modern SRI is a relatively new development in the investment world. The movement can be traced back to the tumultuous 1960s when investors became concerned about civil rights, the environment and militarism. During the 1970s the Vietnam war, women's rights and anit-nuclear sentiment were included in the movement. It is believed that investors helped to dismantle the apartheid system in the 1990s by pressuring the South African government both vocally and financially. Incidents like the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Bhopal Union Carbide plant disaster and numerous social issues such as human rights in overseas factories, workplace health and safety issues, as well as the production of greenhouse gases have become rallying points for socially responsible investors.

To read more about SRI, check out what the library has for you: