Co-op and Henderson sponsor National Ethical Investment Week

by Gill Montia

Story link: Co-op and Henderson sponsor National Ethical Investment Week

Co-operative Financial Services (CFS), Henderson Global Investors and CCLA have joined forces to sponsor the UK’s second National Ethical Investment Week (NEIW).

The event, which is organised by sustainable investment and finance association, UKSIF, will be held between 8th and 14th November and the NEIW website gives full details of participation.

Last year’s NEIW attracted over 100 organisations, including financial services firms, financial advisers and charities.

CFS executive director, John Reizenstein, says the Co-op is committed to maintaining and strengthening its ethical lending and investment criteria, while George Latham, head of SRI funds at Henderson Global Investors points out that the past few years have shown that “ethical and green investors can combine competitive financial returns with their desire for environmental and social progress”.

According to UKSIF chief executive, Penny Shepherd, “Leading fund managers … recognise that increasingly individuals and charities want both to make money and to make a positive difference.”

Co-operative Financial Services is a leader in ethical investment, having introduced its ethical policy in 1992.

According the mutual, it makes investment choices based on consultation with its customers and reflects their ethical concerns on such issues as human rights, the arms trade, corporate responsibility, genetic modification and animal welfare.