Media Coverage of
Investing for the Soul

• Wall Street Journal
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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

Consumers' Definition of Socially Responsible Runs Counter to Established Beliefs

May 31, 2006

WASHINGTON -- More than environmental stewardship and philanthropy, nearly one in two Americans believe the most important proof of corporate social responsibility is treating employees well.

A national opinion survey found that American consumers have their own views on corporate social responsibility that run counter to established beliefs.

"Our research reflects an exciting coming-of-age for consumers, as they are more empowered than ever to assess and react to corporate social responsibility issues," said National Consumers League President Linda Golodner. "Activists and consumer watchdog groups remain important opinion leaders, but rank-and-file Americans are becoming more knowledgeable than ever on socially responsible behavior, and this trend will influence businesses and increasingly benefit society."

Americans Define CSR in Ways Most Relevant to Them

The survey found that 76 percent of American consumers agree that to be socially responsible, companies should place employee salary and wage increases above making charitable contributions. Similarly, the survey found that 76 percent believe that a company's treatment of its employees plays a big role in consumer purchasing decisions.

"What American consumers are telling us -- perhaps influenced by ongoing coverage of corporate layoffs and employee-benefit reductions -- sheds new light on how we view corporate social responsibility," said Fleishman-Hillard Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John D. Graham. "If companies want to maintain and strengthen their reputations, it will be essential for them to invest actively and visibly in their employees. It is also more important than ever to understand the online resources that Americans are using to learn about companies and their track records for corporate social responsibility."

Values Matter

Average Americans feel strong about buying products from or working for a company whose values are aligned with their own personal values. Survey respondents say it's "extremely" or "very" important to work for (79 percent), buy products and services from (65 percent), and socialize with (72 percent) those who have similar values and principles.

"The study findings are especially welcome because they demonstrate that the brand of CSR that most corporations favor simply isn't enough to impress most consumers," said Mal Warwick, chair of the Social Venture Network and co- author of Values-Driven Business: How to Change the World, Make Money, and Have Fun. "The consumer attitudes reported in this study reflect more closely an approach to social responsibility called the 'triple bottom line,' in which people, planet, and profit are balanced. Rather than detract from the traditional bottom line, this approach, requiring policies that actively favor the key stakeholders in a business -- its employees, its customers, its suppliers, its community, and its environment, as well as its owners -- makes that business more competitive."

Corporate America Receives Low Marks for CSR Performance

While Americans believe that social responsibility is important, only 21 percent give U.S. corporations top marks for being socially responsible. When asked to rate how companies are performing compared with two to three years ago, only 30 percent believe that companies are doing a "somewhat better" or "a lot better" job of being socially responsible.

The Internet Is Transforming the CSR Landscape

Use of Internet technology is changing the way people learn about and determine which companies are socially responsible, the survey found.

Almost half of the respondents (47 percent) say they have used the Internet to learn about the extent to which a company is or is not being socially responsible. The survey results also demonstrate that 53 percent of Americans believe that their own online research is one of the most credible means by which to shape their opinions on deciding whether U.S. companies are being socially responsible.

The research indicates that a new generation of online activists is emerging that cuts across many socioeconomic groups in the arena of corporate social responsibility. Going online to learn and advocate for social issues appears to be increasingly a mainstream activity of the average American.

The survey found that 58 percent of survey respondents said that because of the increased availability of online resources and information, they (or other people like them) are "more informed" about companies' records for social responsibility than they were a few years ago.

The survey also found a positive relationship between active Internet use and engagement in social responsibility. About two-fifths of those using the Internet have sent e-mail to a company about its products or services (41 percent) or to an elected state or federal official about an issue (38 percent). Americans who frequently use online resources were also more aware of global standards.