UK Sustainable Investment 20th Anniversary

The Invitation

Last week I attended the 20th Anniversary reception at The House of Lords for UKSIF, originally named the UK Social Investment Forum, now known as the Sustainable Investment and Finance Association.

Membership consists of 70+ Financial Institutions, 60+ social finance and other institutions and 50 pension funds and foundations.

I am one of just over 50 financial advisers that are members.

UKSIF supports the UK finance sector to lead the world in advancing sustainable investment through financial services.

According to their latest data (*all noted in the anniversary publication ‘Taking Responsibility: Achieving Resilience’) nearly £940 billion in assets is managed responsibly in the UK. Arguably then, responsible investment has moved from the margins to the mainstream. This view is supported by further research showing over 50% of adults would be interested in using their investments to both make money and make a difference.



 GREEN FINANCIAL

Green by name and Green by nature - I offer a service whereby I manage, monitor and assist clients with ‘green’ portfolios. Probably the biggest difference I bring compared to many advisers is my mantra of doing ‘what I can, where I can’.

This means I do recycle where possible, I do buy fairtrade or organic when available, I do switch electrical appliances off at night etc – but I don’t wear 100% hemp clothes or live life without plastic! I bring that ethos to investing for clients, using ethical, socially responsible or green funds where possible but not insisting 100% of the portfolio has to be ‘green’ at all times (although it can be if you want it to be)

WORTH THE EXTRA?

And just like food shopping or utilities, my ‘green’ service does cost a little more, as it means a little more work needs to go in, but it is up to you, the end user, whether you wish to pay a little more for the green (or ethical or fairtrade – call it what you will) investment service.

EQUAL PERFORMANCE?

As I write in my latest client magazine there is no evidence to support the myth that investing in a socially responsible manner means lower performance. That is just not true.

see http://www.iangreen.com/ - digital magazines for Jul/Aug2011 issue

As with all investments there are both challenges and opportunity that will filter through to affect eventual returns.

NEIW

If you’d like to discuss Green Investing please do get in touch.

Look out for National Ethical Investment Week later in the year, 16-22 October 2011. I’ve been supporting this initiative since it was launched four years ago.

Meanwhile, here are a couple of pictures from the reception at The House of Lords.

Lord Deben (John Gummer) addressing the reception

The famous terrace