Socially Responsible Investing??

SRI began in the 1980s as a small group of investors asked questions. They wondered what might happen to portfolio returns if industries they felt were distasteful, like tobacco or weapons, were “screened” out of portfolios. They also asked questions about what responsibility shareholders ought to take for the holdings, and about how to exercise good stewardship. A number of privately managed portfolios, followed by publicly traded funds, emerged, screening methods and shareholder governance protocols were refined and relevant indexes were developed. Then, major studies began to circulate in support of this approach not only for its financial merits, but also improved environmental and social performance. SRI has attracted the attention of institutional investors responsible for retirement funds, foundations, endowments and trusts. Private investors attracted to a holistic and longer-term approach have also taken note.

SRI can be appropriate for accounts of all sizes, applied to stock or bond investments, and held in Retail Accounts, IRAs, Education Funding, Retirement Plans, Managed Accounts and Tax-Deferred Accounts. Most SRI investments can be obtained under fee-based, or traditional brokerage arrangements, depending on account size.