Socially Responsible Investing
One of the growing trends in investing is one called socially responsible investing. While this term means different things to different people, in general socially responsible investing tries to follow the following rules to avoid companies with practices and products that:
- Take advantage of the the poverty-stricken.
- Contribute to environmental damage.
- Engage in practices that may not be consistent with respect and dignity for workers.
Interestingly, though, the definition of socially responsible investing is starting to expand to include companies that are making active efforts in certain areas. For example, many socially responsible and environmentally friendly indexes are starting to include nuclear power on the roster. Even though there are worries about radioactive leaks, nuclear power does not contribute to global warming and air pollution (unless you count transporting the waste), and so, while some would say that it isn’t completely friendly to the environment, it’s better than some of the alternatives.
There are plenty of companies now that are considered socially responsible, either for the changes they are making, or because of the causes they contribute to. Here are some of those companies (you probably have even heard of a few):
- General Mills.
- Gap.
- Procter & Gamble.
- Google.
- Amgen.
- Nike.
- Schlumberger.
All of these are rather stable companies (even though some may be experiencing turbulence due to the economy). They also have some potential for growth. And they are all making some sort of effort to improve their practices so that they are socially responsible.
Can you think of other companies that might make good choices in socially responsible investing?
Disclaimer: I am not an investment professional. Nothing in this piece or on this Web site should be construed as investment advice. Before making investment decisions, do your own research and/or consult with an investment professional. All investment comes with the risk of loss. You are responsible for your own investment decisions and any loss that may result from your decisions.
Tags: stock market, socially responsible investing, investing blog, environmentally friendly investing,
economy, investments, nuclear power
October 6th, 2008 at 8:34 am
[…] public links >> investing Crushing the S&P 500 is Easy Saved by landloper on Mon 06-10-2008 Socially Responsible Investing Saved by southsidekat77 on Sat 04-10-2008 Investing in the Canadian Mining Sector Saved by […]