Stewardship
Friends Provident is committed to the principle that investors should accept a degree of responsibility for the actions of the companies they invest in. We created the UK's first ethical fund 'Stewardship' in 1984 to help individual investors to do so.
Stewardship enables like-minded people to group together to increase their own buying power and influence. It also gives concerned individuals a means to avoid investment in companies they would rather not be involved with (e.g. weapons manufacture and tobacco) and support companies that make a positive contribution to the world (e.g. renewable technologies and fair trade).
The criteria for investing in companies are determined by an independent Committee of Reference. The Committee use both positive and negative criteria to screen companies. Setting the criteria requires the Committee to make sensitive judgements about often complex issues and they regularly liaise with companies to discuss their decision and encourage change.
Through Stewardship, the number of the Company’s new customers investing ethically has doubled over the last ten years and during 2008 the amount invested in ethically managed funds was at £2.2 billion in December 2008.
Related links
Friends Provident SRI Ethical Investment Research Services (EIRIS) (external link, opens new window) UK Social Investment Forum (UKSIF) (external link, opens new window)
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