In the fast evolving landscape of finance, ethical investment stands out as a beacon of hope. As we venture toward the end of 2023, we have witnessed a notable surge in ethical investment, setting the stage for a compelling narrative of growth and transformation.
The last 12 to 18 months has seen an enormous shift in the sustainability approach and attitudes of investors, asset managers and advisers.
The impact investment market is undergoing rapid growth. In Australia in 2018, total assets under management using an impact and community investment strategy increased by 72.5% (Responsible Investment Benchmark Report 2019 Australia - pdf). (If you missed Part 1 of this article - you can find it here) There is notable and unsurprising interest from the … Continue reading Impact: It Doesn’t Matter How You Get Here, It’s What You Do Once You Arrive (Part 2)
I'm fascinated by the journey people have taken to arrive at impact. Some have dedicated their lives to the service of others in not for profits, philanthropy or the community sector. Others have come from completely different backgrounds - engineering, food, physiotherapy. While the concept of "impact investment" has been around a long time, the term … Continue reading Impact: It Doesn’t Matter How You Get Here, It’s What You Do Once You Arrive (Part 1)
What are the main issues of concern for Australians wanting to invest responsibly? In order to assist investors, the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA) has made it easy to search and compare products. The Responsible Returns Investment tool allows searches across superannuation, banking and investment. The products that are included have all achieved certification … Continue reading What Are the Key Issues for Responsible Investors?
A few years ago I was feeling conflicted. I was doing Dry July to raise money for cancer support services at the local hospital. At the same time, I knew my International Shares fund had exposure to the world's biggest tobacco companies. I was raising money to help deal with a massive health issue while … Continue reading Building a Portfolio to Be Proud Of
One-third of consumers choose to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good. This report from Unilever shows that increasingly people care about the impact on the planet that results from the products they buy. A recent Lowy Institute survey revealed 59% of respondents believe climate change is a "serious and pressing problem". In … Continue reading The Disconnect between Values and Investments
Jed Emerson is an internationally recognised thought leader in impact investing and the originator of the concept of Blended Value. "I coined the term Blended Value to reflect what I felt was the reality that value was whole and that what all of us were bumping up against was a bifurcated world which asked us … Continue reading What is the Purpose of Capital?
Responsible investment is a process that takes into account environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues into the investment process¹. The PRI (Principles for Responsible Investment) lists the following factors² behind the growing momentum in responsible investing: recognition in the financial community that ESG factors play a material role in determining risk and return; understanding that … Continue reading Why Invest Responsibly?
Serious momentum is building in the responsible investment space. According to the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA), 9 in 10 Australians expect their super/investments to be invested responsibly and ethically. This is no longer a fringe issue. The trend is the same in the US. The Sustainable Signals survey by Morgan Stanley last year, found 75% … Continue reading Responsible Investing – The Rising Tide
