Ethical investing – what’s important to you?

In this article:

This article encourages you to identify what’s important to you when investing ethically, including positive and negative screens and key principles to consider.

The following table shows you two things: the companies or industries many investors generally want to avoid, and those they want to own (for sustainability/ethical reasons). 

In the third column, it explains some basic characteristics or principles to consider when assessing companies or investments for the various factors. 

Positive & negative company screens

NEGATIVE SCREEN (COMPANIES TO AVOID)POSITIVE SCREEN (COMPANIES TO OWN)THINGS TO CONSIDER (through research)
Animal crueltyClean tech & innovationLand rights violations
Child labourCommunity financeCorporate governance
Excessive consumerismEnergy storageEmployee relations & culture
Old growth and native forest loggingRecyclingLabour practices
Fossil fuelsFair tradeEqual opportunity
Carbon intensive industriesCommunity developmentCommunity relations
Genetic modificationOrganics & clean produceIntegrity of products and services
Weapons and armamentsWater managementCarbon emissions
Land degradationPlantation & forestryHuman rights abuse
Third world exploitationRenewable energyGender diversity
GamblingHealthcareStance on indigenous rights
TobaccoSustainable designManagement incentives
UraniumWaste disposal and managementSupply chain
MiningPotential environmental impact 
Alcohol production

Using a piece of paper or a notepad on your phone, take a moment to consider which of these industries are most important to you.

Take our free ethical investing course

Then take our free ethical investing course on Rask Education, to learn how you can apply these screens in your investment portfolio.

Kate Campbell @ Rask

Kate Campbell @ Rask

Kate Campbell is the co-host of The Australian Finance Podcast with Owen.

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