Will Barclays become the world’s first ethical banking superpower?
After a year to forget in 2012, Barclays chief executive Antony Jenkins appears intent on restoring the bank’s Quaker principles of honesty, integrity and plain-dealing. Will it turn into the world’s first ethical banking superpower? The Libor rate-rigging scandal, a shareholder revolt over executive pay, “aggressive” tax avoidance and an award...
Is Barack Obama’s new-look cabinet sufficiently green?
Barack Obama is reshuffling his pack ahead of his second term as US president. Charlie Wood assesses how the new-look cabinet will fare when faced with the energy and environmental challenges that lay ahead. President Obama took many by surprise in giving a large and prominent portion of his...
Responsible investment bodies: what is EIRIS?
EIRIS is one of the responsible investment industry’s leading research providers. An independent not-for-profit, its aim is to provide investors with information on companies and advice on how to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance into their portfolios. Its knowledge base covers some 3,000 global companies and over...
Breakdown of UK renewable energy support: infographic analysis
The Department of Energy and Climate Change’s (DECC) recent public attitudes survey brought to light some interesting – and encouraging – figures regarding the support for clean energy. As well as questions on such topics as energy efficiency, energy bills, smart meters, nuclear power, climate change and electric cars,...
Eight out of 10 support renewables: infographic analysis
Figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) earlier this week showed the extent to which a cross-section of the British public supported renewables. The encouraging survey, which was conducted last year in March, June, September and December and weighted to be representative of the UK adult...
Ethical IFA of the week: Gaeia
There are plenty of independent financial advisers (IFAs) across the country who give advice on ethical investment. Our job is to tell you about them. For two decades, Manchester-based Gaeia has been giving clients advice and guidance on ethical, sustainable and responsible investment. Gaeia was founded in 1993 (it...
Transparency, simplicity and honesty is urgently needed in investment
In 2009, business secretary Vince Cable said, “Investment banking has, in recent years, resembled a casino, and the massive scale of gambling losses has dragged down traditional business.” Having worked in both investment and bookmaking, gambling is simply more transparent, straightforward and honest. Cable’s statement provoked disgruntled mutterings from...
NGOs must focus on global paper industry now APP has halted deforestation work
The news this week that Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) has signalled an end to its deforestation activities has been welcomed by environmental and campaigning organisations alike. The decision could mark the beginning of a sustainable revolution in the sector. February 5 was a big day for the paper industry...
Pick-and-mix dogma is unethical and intellectually dishonest
Dogmatic people are never much fun at dinner parties, whether economic, political or religious. Often they lack curiosity or empathy for alternative points of view, any self-awareness or even a basic grasp of the actual doctrines that underpin their worldview. We’ve seen this most recently during the Commons vote...
Aggressive tax avoidance keeps on hitting the headlines
First it was big brands such as Starbucks, Amazon and Google squirming in parliament. Then it was the big four accountancy firms (KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young and Deloitte) sharing their ‘impartial’ insight with parliament while operating as well-paid advisers to government on tax policy and profiting from rules...
Ethical investment has blossomed into a viable and lucrative strategy
Ethical investment is becoming the chosen vehicle for many investors who demand more than just financial growth from their money, writes James Howard of Emerald Knight. Since the near collapse of the banking system and rapid decline in the global stock markets, there’s been increasing concern over the stability...
Responsible investment bodies: what is the PRI?
The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) is a United Nations-backed initiative that seeks to engage investors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. In 2005, UN secretary-general and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan invited the world’s largest investors to develop a small set of principles for responsible investment....
Early success of Good Energy’s local tariff should inspire other suppliers to follow suit
In January, years of planning finally came to fruition as Good Energy launched the UK’s first local tariff for those living near one of its wind farms in Cornwall. Product innovation manager Will Vooght reflects on what the tariff will mean for community energy. The introduction of Good Energy’s local...
On this day in 2008: London Low Emission Zone launched
Five years ago today, the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was introduced in order to address the rising air pollution emitted from London’s commercial traffic. Joseph Iddison takes a look at whether it, along with subsequent policies, has been successful in tackling high air pollution in the capital. On February...
Survey of Ethical Investment Association members: a round-up
We recently conducted a survey of Ethical Investment Association (EIA) financial advisers. Among other things, they told us which fund managers they used most frequently, and over the past week, we’ve been investigating the data. Ecclesiastical came top of the poll, with 68% of EIA members saying they used...
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