26th of October, 2020
Investment in UK green and ethical funds has grown significantly in 2020 to £33.5 billion*, according to the latest figures compiled by the EIRIS Foundation. The Foundation, a charity working in the area of responsible investment, is pleased to report this during Good Money Week 2020, an annual campaign aiming to raise awareness of sustainable and ethical investment and finance. This figure is based on the funds under management figures of UK domiciled green and/or ethical retail funds. This year’s estimate, significantly up from £25.3 billion1 in 2019, reflects a growing demand for investment products that incorporate consumer concerns for environmental and social issues.
Peter Webster, CEO of the EIRIS Foundation, said:
“This growth reflects a sea change in consumer and wider stakeholder interest in green and ethical finance. Concerns around how to ‘Build Back Better’ post-COVID and the urgency with which solutions are needed to address the climate emergency have both contributed to increased investment in existing funds and a rise in the number of new products entering the market. We welcome this surge in interest and we will continue to work to help individuals drive the change to a more sustainable economy. “
-ENDS-
Contact: Lisa Stonestreet [email protected]
Notes to Editor
*Please note, this figure is estimated based on funds under management figures of UK domiciled green or ethical retail funds. This seeks to avoid money in green or ethical funds domiciled outside of the UK. This is based on information available to the EIRIS Foundation, provided by fund providers or available through research. Funds for inclusion have been identified this year with the kind assistance of SRI Services and their Fund EcoMarket Tool.
1The 2019 figure has been adjusted to reflect improvements to our methodology with has resulted in the identification of additional funds. Without this adjustment the figure was just over £23 billion.
About the EIRIS Foundation
The EIRIS Foundation is a charity registered in England and Wales working in the area of responsible investment. The Foundation has over 30 years’ experience of providing free and objective information on ethical finance and corporate activity to other charities and the public.
Its mission is to use research, analysis and influence to identify gaps, barriers, opportunities and enablers so that we can help organizations and individuals maximise their contribution to the responsible business and investment agenda. For more information please visit: www.eirisfoundation.org.
About Good Money Week
Good Money Week (www.goodmoneyweek.com) is a national campaign taking place from 24-30 October 2020 run by the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), which is aimed at raising awareness of sustainable and responsible finance to help people and organisations make good money choices.
About SRI Services and Fund EcoMarket
SRI Services is the UK’s only independent company devoted entirely to advancing retail Sustainable and Responsible Investment (SRI) funds – which they define as the full range of regulated ethical, sustainable and responsible investment funds that are designed to meet the needs of individual investors with an interest in environmental, social and/or ethical issues. Fund EcoMarket offers information about investment funds that take ethical, social and environmental issues seriously. Fund EcoMarket is a ‘whole of market’ tool that lists all onshore, regulated, retail, screened and themed SRI funds – plus a few carefully selected additional options.
Visit www.sriservices.co.uk