Each year, we send out a ‘quick fire’ survey to all of our treasured Ethical Investor clients. This survey seeks to find out where our clients’ priorties lie in terms of negative screening (avoidance) and positive screening (inclusion).
We then collate these survey results to build a score for each important area of our Ethical Screening process. This enables us to understand the areas that are collectively ‘non negotiable’ and the areas that might not collectively be as important.
We then produce our annual ‘Response Document’ which helps us feedback our findings to all of our Ethical Investor clients.
This year, ‘Poor Human Rights’ was again the most collectively important area within our Negative Screening. However, ‘Unsustainable and Illegal Deforestation’ raced up from 6th place last year to 2nd place this time – with Pornography remaining very important to avoid at 3rd place.
Our clients were collectively still relatively relaxed about the inclusion of Alcohol. The most notable development was the increase in clients saying that Nuclear Power was now ‘not important’ in terms of screening out. Indeed, we had several client comments in support of Nuclear Power and Armaments.
Animal Welfare slipped heavily down the list of importance – but it still clearly ranked as one of the priorities.
We have built a strategic plan for screening this year. If you would like to know more about our findings – including some rather nice pie charts! please just let us know.
We look forward to announcing our annual beach clean soon for the month of May. Ocean waste still remains the most important positive screen to try and combat for our clients.
As ever, we are here if you need to ask anything at all about where your portfolio is invested or how you can adjust your investment strategy to try and better support the environment or society.
Our best wishes as ever from the Thomas and Thomas team
Download our short ethical brochure to get a good idea of our approach and offerings.
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