Our positive screen leads us to support sustainable and positive impact businesses such as energy efficiency and energy storage technologies, renewable energy, recycling, efficient transport, responsible banking and other sustainable products and services.
Our negative screen leads us to avoid, for example, tobacco, weapons, fossil fuels, emissions intensive transport, irresponsible lending, discriminatory and exploitative business practices and other unsustainable products, and services and companies.
When applying our Ethical Charter to banks we assess the ‘Paris alignment’ of bank lending; sales and marketing practices; financial product design; evidence of exploitative trading activity; and ESG integration into lending decisions.
When applying our Ethical Charter to governments, we recognise that democratically elected governments play an important role in in advancing the interests of people, animals and the environment. To assess a government we therefore focus on its accountability and the general quality of its democracy, taking into account things like political rights, civil liberties and rule of law. We will not invest in undemocratic states, and democratic governments can also be excluded for militarism.