What is ethical investment?
Ethical investments tend to use negative criteria to avoid investing in companies involved in areas such as:
- Environmentally damaging practices
- Trading with oppressive regimes and countries with poor human rights records
- Pornography and offensive advertising
- Gambling
- Tobacco and alcohol production
- Unnecessary exploitation of animals
- Unsafe products and services
- Genetic engineering abortion and embryonic research
- Armaments
Socially Responsible Investments (SRIs), as well as adhering to agreed negative criteria, actively seek out firms which make a positive contribution to society, for example:
- Products and services which are of long term benefit to the community
- Conservation of energy and natural resources
- Environmental improvements and pollution control
- Good relations with customers and suppliers
- High employee welfare standards
- Organic farming and foods
- Strong community involvement
- A good equal opportunities record
- Respect for the sanctity and dignity of human life
- Openness about their activities
The list is not exhaustive and therefore your own ethical and socially responsible stance will be assessed using our ethical investment questionnaire which you can access here.
Each fund tends to differ in negative and positive criteria and also in investment risk. It is therefore very important to select the right funds to match your views.
We are members of the UK Social Investment Forum. For more information please use the following link.
We are also members of the Association of Christian Financial Advisers. For more information please use the following link.
Southgate Financial Services Ltd is an appointed representative of Virtual Net (Europe) plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Virtual Net (Europe) plc is entered on the FSA register (www.fsa.gov.uk/register/) under reference 209569
The information contained in this website is for general information only and is not financial, investment or tax advice. The guidance contained within this website is subject to the UK regulatory regime and is therefore primarily restricted to consumers based in the UK.