Socially Responsible Investing

Financial Advising

The financial investment advising industry offers a broad spectrum of opportunities and concentrations. This report will focus on the developing market of Socially responsible investments which is becoming a growing demand for client portfolios. Vancity is currently leading in the main stream financial institutions in making this opportunity available to its clients, making an intersection of financial services and social change.

Three essential elements that characterize an investment adviser are:

* Receives compensation in any form for the advice provided.

* Engages in a regular business of providing advice on securities.

* Provides advice or analysis on securities either by making direct or indirect recommendations to clients or by providing research or opinions on securities or securities markets. http://www.nasaa.org/industry___regulatory_resources/investment_advisers/456.cfm

What is Socially Responsible Investing (product):

“The 21st century will see dramatic retooling of the ways we live together on the planet. It’s time to shift capital to the solutions economy.” The growing market of Socially Responsible Investing is using profit-seeking investment to generate social and environmental good which is moving from a periphery of activist investors to the core of mainstream financial institutions, such as Vancity. No one can know for sure how much money has been invested or is seeking investment that generates both social and environmental value as well as financial return. It is estimated that the total size of the market is $500 billion in the world. http://www.thegiin.org/binary-data/RESOURCE/download_file/000/000/6-1.pdf - page=11

The Market:

In Canada Socially Responsible Investing recognizes that corporate responsibility and societal concerns are valid parts of investment decisions. This market has been developing within the field of finance which has focused on developing the market for social financial...