Links

Scratch the surface of many ethical funds and three issues come to the fore: human rights, the environment and animal welfare. These and other issues of interest to ethical investors are explored in depth on the websites listed below.

Animal issues
Armaments
Consumer and trade issues
Corporate ethics
Employees
Environment
Food and farming
Human rights
Regulatory and government
Tobacco

Other useful websites:

Government employee pension schemes
Pensions calculator
Map sites
Reciprocal links

Animal Issues

The welfare of animals has traditionally been a key area of concern in ethical investment, especially when it comes to laboratory testing. Ethical investors support animal welfare by taking care where their money is invested.

Animal Aid
The UK's largest animal rights group campaigning against all forms of animal abuse and promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle.
British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV)
Campaigning to end animal experiments.
Dr Hadwen Trust
Funds non-animal research into major health problems such as cancer, heart disease, meningitis and Alzheimer's disease.
Naturewatch
Animal welfare campaigning organisation, promoting the prevention of cruelty to animals.

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Armaments

Investing ethically commonly means avoiding those companies who derive a certain percentage of their sales from weapons manufacture.

Campaign Against Arms Trade
Campaigns for the reduction and ultimate abolition of the international arms trade and the UK's role in it as a leading arms exporter.
CND
Campaigns, non-violently, to rid the world of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
Mines Advisory Group
An international not-for-profit NGO assisting people in clearing and destroying landmines and unexploded ordnance that make areas unsafe after war.
Peace Pledge Union
An independent organisation of individuals with the shared aim of working towards a just world free from war.
War Child
A network of independent organisations working internationally to help children affected by war.

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Consumer and Trade Issues

Ethical investors can back companies that have signed up to fair trade projects, such as the Ethical Trading Initiative.

Ethical Trading Initiative
An alliance of companies, NGOs, and trade union organisations committed to identifying and promoting good labour practice.
Fairtrade Foundation
Ensuring a better deal for marginalized and disadvantaged third world producers.
Ethical Consumer
Alternative consumer organisation looking at the social and environmental records of the companies behind brand names.

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Corporate Ethics

Companies have an enormous effect on society in many different ways. Pressure from ethical investors can encourage companies to make changes on many fronts.

Business in the Community
A movement of companies across the UK committed to continually improving their positive impact on society.
Global Reporting Initiative
Developing globally applicable guidelines for reporting on economic, environmental, and social performance.
Institute of Business Ethics
Encouraging high standards of corporate and business behaviour and the sharing of best practice.
New Economics Foundation
A think tank bringing together the ideas, people, resources and influence to challenge business-as-usual.
Forum for the Future
Aims to accelerate the building of a sustainable way of life, taking a positive, solutions oriented approach.
UK Social Investment Forum
Promotes and encourages the development and positive impact of Socially Responsible Investment throughout the UK.
Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum
An international charity promoting socially responsible business practices that benefit business and society.

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Employees

Companies can impinge on human rights through their work conditions, either directly as an employer or indirectly through suppliers. Ethical investors can avoid investment in such companies, but can also use their financial muscle to persuade them to adopt policies that aim to eradicate human rights abuses.

International Labour Organization
UN specialised agency seeking the promotion of social justice and internationally recognised human and labour rights.
Investors in People
The national standard setting a level of good practice for training and development of people to achieve business goals.
Labour Research
An independent research organisation publishing news and information for trade unionists.
Health and Safety Executive
Responsible for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain.
Global Unions
A website owned and managed jointly by a number of international trade union organisations to draw the attention to the campaigns they run.

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Environment

Ethical investors can make a real difference to the environmental performance of companies by ensuring their money promotes corporate policies that aim to reduce environmental impact.

Business in the Environment
Inspires business to work towards environmentally sustainable development as a strategic, mainstream business issue.
Centre for Alternative Technology
Concerned with the search for globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life.
DEFRA
UK Government Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
English Nature
The UK Government Agency that champions the promotion of wildlife and geology throughout England.
Envirolink
A non-profit organization providing access to thousands of online environmental resources.
Environment Agency
The leading public body responsible for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales.
Forest Stewardship Council
An international non-profit organization supporting environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.
Friends of the Earth
One of the leading environmental pressure groups in the UK.
Global Witness
Working to highlight the links between the exploitation of natural resources and human rights abuses particularly where natural resources such as timber, diamonds and oil are used to fund conflict.
Greenpeace International
A global campaigning organisation focusing on crucial worldwide threats to the planet's biodiversity and environment.
Planet Ark
Environment news.
Sierra Club
America's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organisation.
WWF
The world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organisation.

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Food and Farming

Ethical investors can use their investments to encourage food suppliers and manufacturers to adopt more eco-friendly techniques.

Baby Milk Action
A non-profit organisation aiming to save lives and to end avoidable suffering caused by inappropriate infant feeding.
Compassion in World Farming
Campaigning to end factory farming and long distance transport of animals through political lobbying, investigations and campaigns.
Food Commission
The UK's leading independent food watchdog, campaigning for safer, healthier food.
Gene Watch
A group aiming to ensure that genetic technologies are developed and used in the public interest.
International Baby Food Action Network
A network of public interest groups working around the world to reduce child morbidity and mortality.
Marine Stewardship Council
A non-profit organisation using consumer power to promote environmentally responsible stewardship of the world's fisheries.
Pesticide Action Network UK
UK branch of a network of over 600 NGOs, institutions and individuals in over 60 countries working to replace the use of hazardous pesticides with ecologically sound alternatives.
Soil Association
The UK's leading campaigning and certification organisation for organic food and farming.

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Human Rights

Ethical investment policies can persuade companies to develop clear guidelines on human rights. Some companies may even be encouraged by ethical investors to pull out of trouble spots or to cease working with oppressive regimes, or to begin to use their presence positively and press for change in the country concerned.

ActionAid
Working for a world without poverty in which every person can exercise their right to a life of dignity.
Amnesty International
A worldwide campaigning movement that works to promote internationally recognized human rights.
Amnesty International Business Group
Encouraging companies to be aware of the human rights impact of all aspects of their operations.
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
An independent, non-profit organisation promoting greater awareness of business and human rights issues.
Christian Aid
Striving for an end to poverty and campaigning to change the rules that keep people poor.
Freedom House
Working to advance the worldwide expansion of political and economic freedom.
Global Witness
Working to highlight the links between the exploitation of natural resources and human rights abuses particularly where natural resources such as timber, diamonds and oil are used to fund conflict.
Human Rights Watch
Dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.
New Internationalist
Reporting on issues of world poverty and inequality and focusing attention on the relationship between the powerful and the powerless in both rich and poor nations.
Oxfam
Development, relief, and campaigning organisation dedicated to finding lasting solutions to poverty and suffering around the world.
Survival International
A worldwide organisation supporting tribal peoples, standing for their right to decide their own future and helping them protect their lives, lands and human rights.
The Burma Campaign UK
Campaigning for human rights and democracy in Burma.
World Development Movement
Campaigning to tackle the root causes of poverty. Working with people in the developing world to change the policies of governments and business that keep people poor.

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Regulatory and Government

Ethical investors in a company pension scheme now have the chance to influence directly the ethical criteria applied to their fund. Since July 2000, all occupational pension funds have to consider formally whether or not to develop policies on social, ethical and environmental issues.

Charity Commission
Exists to give the public confidence in the integrity of charities in England and Wales.
Department for Work and Pensions
Aims to help its customers to become financially independent and to help reduce child poverty.
DWP Guide to Stakeholder Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions' guide to stakeholder pensions.
Financial Services Authority
Independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK.
Inland Revenue
Information on stakeholder pensions, including current legislation.
National Statistics
The UK's home of official statistics, reflecting Britain's economy, population and society at national and local level.
Occupational Pensions
The Pensions Regulator provides information to individuals on company pensions
The Pension Guide
The government's pensions information website.
The Pension Service
Pension-related services provided by the government.

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Tobacco

The modern roots of socially responsible investment can be traced back to the 1920s when the Methodist church wanted to start investing in the stockmarket. Churches have been avoiding tobacco investments for years.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
A public health charity aimed at eliminating the health problems caused by tobacco.
Framework Convention Alliance
Building support for global tobacco control.
World Health Organisation
Intergovernmental negotiating body for the framework convention on tobacco control.

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