Providing advice
If you provide investment advice to charities it is increasingly important that you understand Responsible Investment issues. A number of resources are available that can assist you in providing advice on ethical or socially responsible investment.
To enable charities to invest in line with their mission you should be familiar with Responsible Investment issues. Other sections of this website provide a good introduction to:
- ways of doing SRI such as positive or negative screening and engagement
- the legal issues relevant for charity investors
- financial returns and Responsible Investment
- the ethical issues that charities may wish to incorporate into their investments
- the investment vehicles that can incorporate Responsible Investment approaches – such as bonds, property, venture capital and ethical funds
For advisers
UKSIF has developed a free online training course for Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) on providing advice on green and ethical investment. The course is specifically for IFAs but much of the information is relevant for any adviser or consultant.
The course provides information on the five step advice process:
Step 1: Getting started with fact finding on green and ethical investment
Step 2: Fact finding about green and ethical investment issues
Step 3: Deciding on the choice of ethical investment approaches
Step 4: Using the client's risk profile, consider risk and performance issues
Step 5: Selecting the appropriate providers and products
During the initial fact find with clients advisers should include an open-ended question about whether a client is interested in integrating social, environmental and/or ethical concerns into their financial decisions.
Advisers may wish to see the funds and fund managers database to gather information on the Responsible Investment products and services available to charities.
The advisers database in the charities area of this website provides details of some of the organisations and individuals that provide advice to charities on Responsible Investment. Advisers wishing to be added to this list should contact us.
For fund managers
Fund managers may wish to see the advisers database and the sources mentioned below for details of which advisers may be interested to know about their Responsible Investment services.
Further information
The Ethical Investment Association (EIA) is an association of financial advisers from around the UK, dedicated to the promotion of ethical and socially responsible investment. The EIA hold regular training days to keep members up to date with new developments in the sector.
IFAs providing advice on Responsible Investment issues can sign up to the EIRIS directory of financial advisers and subscribe to a free regular email bulletin.
