When most people think about investing, the first thought that often comes to mind is making money. And rightfully so, when you invest you will hopefully end up with more than you put in but are you willing to make money at the cost of your values and ethics?

Everyone’s values and ethics are different so this is not a simple yes or no question, but ethical investing is beginning to gain a lot of traction.

So, what is ethical investing?

Ethical investing aims to consider both financial return and environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. This is also known as socially responsible investing.

This investment strategy gives investors the ability to make investment choices that align with their values.

For example, let’s consider a vegetarian or vegan. Imagine this person is avoiding harming animals at all costs in their personal lives but their super fund was invested in companies that engaged in animal testing on its products.

Without knowing, this person is helping a company whose business activity directly goes against their moral standards and ethics.

So, how do we avoid investing in companies that go against our values?

When investing, it is now possible to “screen out” certain companies which engage in unsustainable business practices or contribute to environmental and social problems such as gambling, smoking, fossil fuels and the like.

If you do want to invest more ethically, it is important to do your homework. Just because an investment has ‘ethical’ or ‘sustainable’ in its name does not mean that it aligns to your specific values.

If you would like to learn more on Ethical Investing, please feel free to contact our Financial Planning team via email at wealthadvisors@plus1group.com.au or by phone on (03) 5833 3000.