NEW STUDY CELEBRATES LONDON AS A CITY WITH A CONSCIENCE

Blog

Published on Thursday, 20 October 2011 11:37

Last Updated on 20 October 2011

Monica Costa

0 Comments

Almost half of adult investors in the capital want to make money and make a difference.
New research unveiled today shows we are a nation eager to help support social issues, often making environmental and ethical choices when buying goods and services – particularly in London. But when it comes to making decisions about where to put our money, confusion is rife.

New research, amongst 2,105 British adults for National Ethical Investment Week (16-22 October 2011), reveals that while almost a third (32%) regularly or occasionally take green and ethical issues into account when shopping, those with investments aim to be even greener.

In fact, 46% of Londoners with investments want them to make a positive contribution to the world as well as a good financial return.

But more than a quarter (26%) of Londoners do not realise they can make a difference through their mortgage, savings or investments, and only 2% of adults have a very clear understanding of what industries their existing savings support.

National Ethical Investment Week, www.neiw.org, aims to let people know about the diverse range of options now available, and to dispel some of the myths around ethical investment.

Penny Shepherd MBE, Chief Executive of UKSIF which runs National Ethical Investment Week, says: “People can make a real and positive contribution to society through their financial decisions, and there are a great many options out there. This research shows how important National Ethical Investment Week is as people need help to find and choose the investments that allow them to make money and make a difference.

“It is an opportunity to cut through the confusion and help people realise that there can be good financial gains from ethical investments. Even by dipping their toe in the water they can support issues from climate change to healthcare provision. Whatever their interest, they can make decisions that mean that every day their investments are helping to do some good.”

The study highlights that the areas people in London are most keen to support through ethical investments are:

· healthcare and access to medicine (46%)

· renewable energy/ climate change (45%)

· sustainable forestry (37%)

· managing water efficiently (37%)

· initiatives that support my local community (30%).

Ethical investments can also be triggered by personal wishes, as was the case for Adam Ognall from London. He had been investing ethically for the past few years in anticipation of starting a family:

“We are expecting our first child in December, and there is nothing like a new baby to make you consider your finances! I work for a charity so certainly don’t earn the biggest amounts, so wanted to make sure I had made all the right decisions as far as savings are concerned.

“I have a range of ethical investments, from my current account to ISAs, as I believe they are competitive products in the market, and just as I apply green and ethical values to other buying choices, such as Fairtrade, I want to apply my ethics to my financial products also. I love the reassurance that my accounts support under-developed countries, as well as helping me save for my family.”

You can follow National Ethical Investment Week on Twitter @NEIW11 and Facebook, where you will find the truth behind the myths around ethical investment, an animation and advice on how to find an ethical investment to suit you.