1984 saw the arrival of the first UK Ethical Fund. An ethical fund invests in companies that give something back to the community. This can be in the form of creating a product that is of benefit to members of the community such as hearing aids for the deaf or that puts money back into the community.
Green funds on the other hand invest in products, services or processes that help the environment. Beware, a green fund may also invest in companies that are not ‘ethical.’ If you are unsure it’s best to consult a financial advisor and stipulate what exactly you are looking for.
As I’ve mentioned before, green and ethical funds are on the up. However, if you are looking to invest your money it’s good to way up the pros and cons of soley investing in one particular type of fund. The Co-operative Bank give lots of useful information so take a look at their site for more info.
Over the last few months so called ‘green’ and ‘charity’ credit cards have taken a beating from some financial advisors. Some people feel that the rates you get from a green/charitable credit card are not as good as those from ‘normal’ credit cards and that you would be better off taking a ‘normal’ deal and having a monthly direct debit to charity. What are other people’s thoughts on this? Would be good to have your opinions………..
Over the next few weeks I’ll take a look at who are offering ethical and green funds and what the benefits are. If you have any tips feel free to post a comment.
