Since 2002
Postings and Commentaries by Ron Robins
August 2007
A Review Of US Clean Energy Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). – [COMMENTARY] ETFs are funds that trade like a stock, and now there are a growing number of them that specialize in clean energy. One advantage of ETFs is that they generally have lower management fees. Always get help with investing from a qualified investment advisor though.…
July 2007
Global Fair Trade Sales Grow 41% In 2006 Over 2005. – [COMMENTARY] It will be interesting to see when Fair Trade’s products move well beyond the agricultural domain, say into areas of manufacturing, etc. This is impressive growth though and many of the world’s poorest individuals are benefiting from it. 41 Percent Increase in Global Fair Trade…
June 2007
Poor Ethics, Moral Hazard Endanger Global Financial System. – [COMMENTARY] This Financial Times (FT) of London story is an excellent overview of what is happening in the sub-prime mortgage and derivative markets. And frankly, it is scary! In particular, it appears that many financial institutions are carrying financial assets that may have to go through substantial write-downs, leading to…
May 2007
Major Canadian Bank To Offer Socially Responsible Mutual Funds. – [COMMENTARY] RBC Asset Management, a subsidiary of Canada’s largest bank, the Royal Bank of Canada, is to offer three socially responsible mutual funds. RBC is partnering with Michael Jantzi, a pioneer and leader in Canadian socially responsible companies research. Also, RBC is taking an important ethical stance…
April 2007
180 Global Institutions Sign UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). – [COMMENTARY] The PRI is really another name for socially and environmentally responsible investing. It is indeed heartening to see how mainstream such investing concepts are becoming. I just hope that these signatories are serious and that it is not only a corporate public relations exercise. Most…
March 2007
Bad Ethics. The Bashing of China’s Trade Policies. – [COMMENTARY] The US Commerce Department announced that it is going to place economic sanctions on Chinese paper imported into the US. It has determined that China provides an unfair subsidy to these products. Before the US proceeds too far down this path, it should note the biblical injunction that…
2006 Editors Choice
Ethical Investing Launch of Three New Clean Tech Indexes Culminates Banner Year for Green Investing, by Bill Baue, SocialFunds.com, December 29, 2006. Institutional Investors in France Foresee Continuing Growth of Socially Responsible Investing – Ethical Investing, by Bill Baue, SocialFunds.com, December 14, 2006. Eurosif Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Study reveals a European SRI Market valued…
2005 Editors Choice
Ethical Investing Are socially responsible investors different from conventional investors? A comparison across six countries, by Geoffrey Williams, Associate Professor of Financial Economics, Nottingham University Business School, December 2005. Fiduciary Duty Redefined to Allow Environmental, Social and Governance Considerations, by William Baue, SRI-advisor.com, November 3, 2005. Institutional Investors’ Legal Responsibilities on Environmental, Social and Governance…
2,000-year-old investing strategy
BY MICHAEL SWAN The Catholic Register TORONTO Updated Monday, August 15, 2005 Ron Robins has an approach to the market that′s about 2,000 years old. “As you sow, so shall you reap,” opines the founder of Investing for the Soul, a Toronto-based company that tells people how to employ their religious values when they invest.…
Moral Investing: Employers should offer employees workshops on ethical investing for their RRSPs.
By Ron Robins The Canadian Labour Congress released a poll in August 2004 showing that the percentage of those “worried about not having enough money to live after retirement” rose in two years to 73 percent from 54 percent. Yet many employees fail to put much thought into planning their pensions. This is where companies…
Comp and Benefits: Moral Investing: How pension education can be an employee benefit
APPEARED IN HR PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE, CANADA, APRIL-MAY 2005 By Ron Robins, MBA THE CANADIAN LABOUR Congress released a poll in August 2004 showing that the percentage of those “worried about not having enough money to live after retirement” rose in two years to 73% from 54%. Yet many employees fail to put much thought into…
2004 Editors Choice
Ethical Investing Al Gore, Former U.S. Vice President, Chairman of new investment firm focused on Environmental, Ethical Investing, November 19, 2004. Moskowitz Prize Study Links Strong Corporate Social Performance with Financial Results, by William Baue, CSR Wire, October 26, 2004. Giving small investors a fair chance: reforming the [Canadian] mutual fund industry. An important report…
2003 Editors Choice
Ethical Investing Require Help With Investing – The Unfulfilled Investor, by Ron Robins, FORUM, Social Investment Organization, Canada, P. 9, June 2003. New Calvert Survey Shows Investors Link Corporate Responsibility With Reduced Risk, Better Returns, November 17, 2003. Good vibes: socially responsible investing [ethical investing] is gaining fans and clout July 7, 2003. SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE…
The Unfulfilled Investor
By Ron Robins The investor has many reasons for being unfulfilled. Among them are two years of down stock markets in Canada, and three years in the U.S. In addition, there was the disconcerting behaviour of analysts such as Henry Blodget of Merrill Lynch, and the discouraging activities of executives at Enron, WorldCom, and other…
2002 Misc. Article
Corporations Should Balance Profits with Corporate Social Responsibility, January 9, 2002.
2001 Misc. Article
MMA survey: Most Americans do NOT separate their faith and personal finances, Survey sponsored by the Mennonite Mutual Aid Society and MMA Praxis Mutual Funds, 2001.
2000 Misc. Article
On the Methodology of ISEW, GPI and Related Measures, by Eric Neumayer, September 2000, Ecological Economics, UK.
