Money Matters: Socially responsible investing

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - What is socially responsible investing and why is it becoming more important to people as they make financial decisions?

Josh Bradley explains what it is in this week’s Money Matters.

“This is an opportunity to combine investing with your beliefs or your causes,” he explained. “This could be anything from environmental causes, maybe social change, even religious beliefs can be incorporated into investment themes or investment strategies in your investment accounts.”

What steps can be taken to invest in the things that are important to you?

“The first step is to confirm what you actually own, so taking a deep dive into your 401(k), your IRAs, your investment accounts -- you can then plug those investments into online scores or do research to what you actually own within those index funds or mutual funds,” he said. “The second thing is, if you’re actively looking to invest in social change or any of these other issues, you have to decide between two paths. One is you can go to investment firms or investment vehicles that invest only on your beliefs. It might be green issues, social change, religious issues -- but there are specific companies that invest the way you believe.”

Bradley says experts have observed an impact on corporate America as people begin to invest their money in a more socially responsible way.

He pointed to a recent example where Exxon had multiple new members voted onto its board by activist investors. The move will force the company to change its carbon footprint.

For more information on socially responsible investing or other financial issues, visit capitalcityfinancialpartners.com.

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