What is
Ethical Investment?

The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) defines Responsible (Ethical) investment as an umbrella term to describe an investment process which takes environmental, social, governance (ESG) or ethical considerations into account.

Ethical Investment Process

The ethical investment process stands in addition to, or is incorporated into the usual fundamental investment selection and management process. This involves the inclusion of one or more of the below practices in the research, analysis, selection and monitoring of an investment.

Ethical Investment STYLES

The most basic approach is ‘negative screening’ (for example weapons, alcohol, tobacco and gambling). More detailed approaches include thematic, integrated and engagement approaches which seek to ‘positively screen’ investments to create positive impact.

In the conventional investment process, screening is used to reduce the investible universe based on preferred financial criteria such as leverage metrics and valuation ratios. In the case of responsible investment, however, screening also includes environmental, social, governance (ESG) and ethical factors as well as financial criteria.

Responsible investment screening is used in many ways: it can be applied to select investments based upon relative performance on specific issues (such as carbon emission benchmarks or governance standards) or to exclude entire sectors or activities (such as gambling or those who abuse human rights); it can be used for equities as well as property, fixed income and infrastructure; it can be employed either before or after the financial analysis has taken place; and it is usually supported by a pre-determined methodology that is clearly defined and transparent.

The competitive performance of screened investments depends on both the screening methodology and the final portfolio construction which seeks to minimise correlation and volatility and maximise diversification and risk-adjusted return potential. Negative screening is the term used to describe the exclusion or avoidance of an investment based upon environmental, social, governance or ethical factors, while positive screening is the favourable consideration of an investment opportunity based upon these issues.

This investment style implies that all industries should adopt higher standards of ESG practice in order to meet the expectations of society and to achieve sustainable and profitable business goals. This process does not involve negative screening, but rather identifies those companies with superior ESG performance from across all sectors.
Portfolios which contain only those investments that adhere positively to a particular sustainability theme such as environmental technology, carbon intensity, sustainable agriculture and forestry, water technology, waste management, community investing, affordable housing, sustainable property and infrastructure, human rights, microfinance or governance. This category also includes multi-strategy portfolios which may contain a variety of asset classes or a combination of these themes.
This emerging investment style involves actively placing capital in businesses and funds that are directed toward solving specific and significant environmental and social challenges while providing returns to the investor that range from principal to above market. By leveraging the private sector, these investments can provide solutions at a scale that purely philanthropic interventions usually cannot reach. Investors usually include high net wealth individuals, institutional investors, charities, corporations and foundations who invest across a wide range of asset classes and where success is measured by a combination of financial returns and environmental and social impact.
ESG integration is the incorporation of environmental, social and governance factors into the investment decision-making process. More specifically, ESG knowledge is used to inform the analysis of risk, innovation, operating performance, competitive and strategic positioning, quality of management, corporate culture and governance and to enhance financial valuation, portfolio construction, engagement and voting practices.
Engagement is the process by which an asset manager, asset owner or specialist firm will contact companies to build the business case for better management of ESG issues. Engagement can sometimes involve the formal or informal collaboration with likeminded investors on common issues which can increase the likelihood of a positive outcome from the engagement process.
Investors who are active owners will exercise their right to vote and their right to raise resolutions in order to achieve better management outcomes. Investor activism on governance issues has grown substantially in the last ten years, particularly in Britain and the United States, and especially in relation to director elections and remuneration. More recently, environmental and social resolutions have also grown in number and support in the United States and in 2011 Australia’s first dedicated climate change shareholder resolution was brought forward.

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The Ethical Advisers’ Co-op acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work and live, the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander people of Australia, and pay our respect to the Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their cultural heritage, beliefs and relationship with the land and waters, and recognise their role in caring for and maintaining the land over thousands of years. We also extend that respect to other First Nations. We see reconciliation as a fundamental responsibility for The Ethical Advisers’ Co-op and we are committed to advancing reconciliation with Australia’s First Peoples and engaging with their concerns.

We acknowledge and pay our respects to Māori as the tangata whenua the indigenous people of Aoteroa (New Zealand) and their ancestors who have cared for the whenua (land), its forests, rivers, and mountains for generations. We recognise their continuing connection and contribution to the whenua, and as Treaty of Waitangi partners and we are committed to building respectful relationships with Māori communities and to working towards a more just and equitable society.

As ethical financial advisors, we commit to building respectful relationships with Indigenous communities, working towards economic empowerment and self-determination, and supporting the financial well-being of all Australians and New Zealanders. We recognise that ethical financial advice creates positive change and contributes to a sustainable future, and we are committed to using our skills and expertise to make a difference.

The contents of this website are intended as general advice only. The information provided by the Ethical Advisers Co-operative do not account for any individual’s personal objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be used, relied upon, or treated as a substitute for specific professional advice. The Ethical Advisers Co-operative recommends all users obtain their own independent professional advice from an appropriately qualified financial adviser before making any decision relating to their particular requirements or circumstances. Investing in, or switching between investments or superannuation funds may have unintended financial consequences.

The survey results, and all information contained in this website including all documents, consider only the ethics of each fund and do not include any analysis of fees, performance or financial suitability. The ethical score is subjective and benchmarked against each adviser’s average ethical client. Your ethics may differ. We recommend you speak to an experienced ethical financial adviser for personalised advice before making any decisions. The information provided by the Ethical Advisers Co- operative does not constitute financial advice. The information is general in nature and is presented in order to inform people motivated by ethical, environmental or social concerns.

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