Bombay Stock Exchange To Launch Shariah-Compliant Stock Index. – [COMMENTARY] “The Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd (BSE) and Taqwaa Advisory and Shariah Investment Solutions (TASIS) will launch the BSE TASIS Shariah 50 index from Monday, December 27.” This index has great potential, considering that India has over 133 million Muslims representing about 14% of its population.…

Ethical Funds Performed Better than Non-Ethical Funds In Downturn Says Study. – [COMMENTARY] “the results indicated that the ethical funds are different from the non ethical funds with regards to the performance and put in evidence that the ethical funds governed the financial crisis triggered by subprime in a better way than the non ethical funds.…

Nokia, Sony & Philips Ranked Greenest By Greenpeace. Apple Falls to 9th; HP Rises to 4th. – [COMMENTARY] No doubt these rankings will come as a shock to Apple lovers. Nonetheless, Greenpeace does a good research job. Apple Falls, HP Rises in Latest Greenpeace Toxic Tech Scores, by Danny Bradbury, October 27, 2010, BusinessGreen, USA.…

California Requiring Companies To Disclose Supply Chain Policies. – [COMMENTARY] “SB 657 requires major retail sellers and manufacturers doing business in California to disclose their voluntary efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from its direct supply chain for tangible goods offered for sale.” Well done California! Should this become prevalent, it should help ethical…

Survey Shows Both Consumers & Company Executives Not Buying Corporate Green Messages. – [COMMENTARY] “The corporate sector has gone to great lengths in recent years to persuade consumers of its commitment to environmental sustainability. But consumers aren’t buying it, to judge by the results of a study released this month by Gibbs & Soell Public…

New Corporate Sustainability Reporting Platform Proposed. – [COMMENTARY] “The 88-page From Transparency to Performance: Industry-Based Sustainability Reporting on Key Issues has been backed by The Hauser Center for Non-profit Organizations at Harvard University and the Initiative for Responsible Investment. The authors are Steve Lydenberg, Chief Investment Officer at Domini Social Investments, Jean Rogers, Principal at…

86% Of Charity Supporters Less Likely To Give If Charities Do Not Invest ’Responsibly.’ – [COMMENTARY] “Eighty-six per cent would be less likely to give to charities that do not invest responsibly, according to guide by Charity Finance Directors’ Group and Eiris.” Who wants to donate to a charity when much of what you give…

70% Of Executives Say Climate Change Initiative Spending In Their Companies To Increase in 2010-2012. – [COMMENTARY] “Executives are acting on climate change initiatives because their customers expect it and because they believe they can make money, save money and manage risk. They understand that transforming their key processes makes good business sense.” This the…

Green Confidence Index Shows US Shoppers More Upbeat About Green Products & Services. – [COMMENTARY] “The Index, which is derived from a monthly online survey of approximately 2,500 Americans aged 18 and over, now registers 104.5, representing a near 5 percent gain since its inception 9 months ago. The Index measures Americans’ attitudes towards and…

Consumers Continue To Prioritize Social Responsibility Across Business Sectors, Despite Recession. – [COMMENTARY] “The second annual Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions Survey, conducted by research-based consultancy Penn Schoen Berland in partnership with brand consulting firm Landor Associates and strategic communications firm Burson-Marsteller, analyzed consumer views of companies operating across 14 industries ranging from Apparel to Telecommunications.…

Social Investment Organization (SIO) Produces Canadian Guide To Socially Responsible Mutual Fund Companies. – [COMMENTARY] “All of the firms listed in this Directory are Sustaining or Associate Members of the SIO. As Canada′s national association for socially responsible investment, the SIO raises public awareness of SRI, educates the financial community and the public about SRI…

How You Invest. – [COMMENTARY] “YOU′RE likely to feel more confident about the economy when your political party is in power… But a new study has found that your feelings probably affect the way you invest your stock portfolio. The study… found that when an investor′s favored political party held power in Washington, he or…

UK Fair Trade Up Thirty Times In Ten Years. – [COMMENTARY] “Fairtrade grew more than any other sector of virtuous goods in the past decade, according to an audit of ethical shopping in the Noughties.” No doubt a sign of a growing social consciousness, and comes as a pleasant reminder of the values we celebrate at this special time…

Thomson Reuters Buys ASSET4, The Swiss Based ESG Research Powerhouse. – [COMMENTARY] “The global credit crisis, climate change, new regulation and other issues have highlighted the need for financial firms to assess the environmental, social responsibility, governance and reputational risks attached to the firms in which they invest. Through the acquisition of ASSET4′s leading ESG information and tools,…

GreenBiz Launches US Green Confidence Index. – [COMMENTARY] “Today marks the launch of a new monthly index, the Green Confidence Index, aimed at tracking Americans’ attitudes about and confidence in their leaders and institutions, nationally and locally, on the subject of environmental responsibility, as well as in their own understanding of issues and their willingness to make green…

As US Chamber Of Commerce Tries To Block Environment Bill, Investor Groups Advocate Nike To Quit Chamber. – [COMMENTARY] “US SRI and environmental fund managers, have written to Nike, the sportswear company, urging it to quit the US Chamber of Commerce, the country′s largest business federation, after Nike joined other companies in criticising the Chamber′s opposition to measures…

Over Half Of 1,000 Largest US Companies Have An Environmental Policy, But Lack Internal Environmental Management Structures, Says Survey. – [COMMENTARY] “This report, entitled “The Road Not Yet Taken: The State of U.S. Corporate Environmental Policy and Management,” presents a detailed review of the publicly disclosed environmental policies, management structures, systems, measurement and reporting activities,…

ESG Issues Have Come To The Fore Among Emerging Market Investors. – [COMMENTARY] “In 2009, 46 percent of asset owners strongly agreed with the statement ’ESG issues are an important part of our research, portfolio management and manager selection,’ up from 36 percent in 2007. The majority of asset owners (78 percent) think the importance of ESG factors…

New York State Common Retirement Fund Divests From Companies Doing Business In Sudan. – [COMMENTARY] “New York State Comptroller DiNapoli announced the withdrawal of investments in a set of companies operating in Sudan from the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund). DiNapoli also announced the decision to continue to monitor and engage another set of companies with…

Greenpeace Says IT Firms Need More Focus On Climate Change. – [COMMENTARY] “Greenpeace yesterday launched its newest campaign aiming at urging the IT industry to do more to help address climate change issues, and finds that the industry has plenty of room for improvement.” IT stocks are a big percentage of most ethical investing funds. Yet according to Greenpeace…