Overview of Socially Responsible Investing
Socially Responsible Investing is one of the unique investment techniques in practice nowadays. It brings in the element of social responsibilities of the investors and also places a lot of importance on reaping the maximum possible financial rewards.
Origin of Socially Responsible Investing
Several theories have been put forward regarding the origin of the Socially Responsible Investing method. However, the acceptable version is that the Religious Society of Friends or the Quakers started this system in the mid eighteenth century.
Social Dimension of Socially Responsible Investing
As per the concept of Socially Responsible Investing the investors who possess a certain degree of sense of responsibility towards the society they inhabit, normally prefer the following types of corporate practices:
- Ones, which are responsible towards the natural environment
- Ones that help in the enhancement of the levels of quality and safety of the products
- Ones that help in bringing about an element of variety in the workplace
The socially responsible investors normally do not put their money in the following categories:
- Arms and Weaponry
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Various Forms of Gambling like Betting
- Tobacco
Performance of Socially Responsible Investing in the Global Investment Market
Socially Responsible Investing is one of the most flourishing markets in Europe as well as in the United States of America. The performance of the Socially Responsible Investing was especially noteworthy in the years 2001 and 2002 considering the relative inactivity in some of the other markets.
The socially screened portfolios have performed the best among the assets that have been invested in by adhering to the Socially Responsible Investing method. The total worth of such assets is $ 2.15 trillion.
Present Uses of Socially Responsible Investing
Socially Responsible Investing is normally used when investing in the following domains:
- Government-Controlled Funds
- Shareholder Advocacy
- Mutual Funds
- Community Investing
- Separately Managed Accounts
Investment Plans and Strategies Used by Socially Responsible Investors
According to Socially Responsible Investing the investors who are supposed to have a certain level of social responsibility, use the following investment schemes:
- Positive Investing
- Screening
- Shareholder Activism
- Divesting
Distribution of Socially Responsible Investing Funds
The following countries have 63.7 percent of the Socially Responsible Investing Funds:
- The United Kingdom
- Sweden
- France
- Belgium
- Italy