Media Coverage of
Investing for the Soul

• Wall Street Journal
• MarketWatch
• BNN (Business News Network)
• The Financial Post
• Rogers Television's Money Line
• CBC One's Metro Morning
• 680 News Radio
• Environmental News Network
• The Catholic Register
• More...

Editorials

• Sustainability Profits Companies
• ESG Yields Profits
• Does Corporate Social Responsibility Increase Profits?
• Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain,
• India, Ancient Economic Behemoth, to Overtake China
• Frugality: A New Normal for Developed World Consumers
• Invest Ethically for ‘All Good’ Returns
• Investors Rush to Cash In on Climate Change
• Can US Bankers and Politicians be Truthful?
• Ethical Investors Successfully Engage Companies and Governments
• Religion: A Force in Ethical & Green Investing
• Unethical Investing By Charities
• Investing Ethically?
• The Rise of Islamic Finance
• US Government and Financial Elites Deceive Us
• The Ethics of Gold
• Unethical Statistics Lead Us Astray
• See all...

Shareholder Values

 
"70% increase since 2007 in the number of investors capitalizing on environmental trends [and] 54% of investors plan to invest in environmental technology over the next year."
-- Allianz Global
    Investors
    (USA) February 2010

"Canadian investors are generally favourable towards SRI. A third (32%) said they are 'very' or 'somewhat' interested. [Another] 55 per cent indicated that they would consider SRI if the return was 'as good or better' than other investments... The majority of investors surveyed view SRIs as 'futuristic' (78%) and 'a win-win for the individual and society' (77%)."
-- Ipsos Reid/
    Standard Life
    (Canada) October 2011

"European HNWI [High Net Worth Individuals] Sustainable Investment market... approximately €729 billion, representing an average of about 11% of European HNWIs’ portfolios as of December 31, 2009. This is a growth rate of 35% over the two-year period since the data was previously collected."
-- Eurosif
    (EU) September 2010

Advisor: KNOW Your Client.
Know their values!

by Ron Robins*

This editorial is of particular interest to investment and financial advisors.

A U.S. survey by Allianz Global Investors early in 2008 showed that half of all investors were planning to invest in environmental funds in the following twelve months; in May a U.K. survey by F&C Investments found about 88% of respondents felt that it was important for companies to take environmental, social and governance issues seriously. To benefit from these trends, an astute advisor will want to truly know thy client, implementing policies and activities that particularly cater to their clients’ personal values.

As an advisor, ask yourself:

• Do you want your clients learning about ethical investing, green funds, etc., from another advisor?
• Do you want the risk of giving inappropriate advice to your clients by not knowing their personal values?
• Do you want to gain a competitive edge vis-à-vis other advisors?
• Do you want clients who are stable and less volatile when markets go awry?
• Do you want more satisfied clients providing even more referrals to you?

For advisors new to ethical investing, green funds, socially responsible investments, etc., the work to become familiar with these areas may appear daunting. However, there is lots of help out there for you. To begin with, take the free online course for financial advisors offered by the UK Social Investment Forum. Though oriented to British advisors, it offers valuable information and assistance for advisors everywhere.

In addition, advisors can find help from the following organizations. In the...

Also, here at Investing for the Soul, I now offer the following uniquely valuable services for advisors: workshops to orient you and your team to personal values investing; tutorials in finding and evaluating stocks that reflect personal values; a company research service; and portfolio audits that ensure holdings are in compliance with the owners’ personal values.

This is a new era for advisors. The rule, know your client, now means much, much more than before. A paradigm shift is occurring in what clients want. Are you ready for them? This site is here to help you.

© Ron Robins, 2008

* Ron Robins, MBA, is founder and analyst, Investing for the Soul, (http://investingforthesoul.com/), Huntsville, Canada. He advocates, writes and teaches on the subject of ethical investing. To contact him, e-mail to Ron Robins or call 705-635-3034.

© Ron Robins, 2008.