Ethical and Socially Responsible Investment

Financial social responsibility (FSR) bridges the financial world with society in socially responsible investment (SRI). In socially conscientious screenings, shareholder advocacy, community investing and social venture capital funding, private investors choose SRI for efficiency and long-term competitive considerations coupled with altruistic and personal social responsibility, entrepreneurial endeavors and self-expression. FSR evolved due to historical incidents, legislative compulsion, and stakeholder pressure in response to social, environmental, and political deficiencies as well as humanitarian crises. Originally stemming from a small number of specialist ethical investment funds, SRI emerged into an investment philosophy adopted by a growing proportion of Western investment houses around the globe. International organizations define FSR standards from a global governance perspective. Portraying SRI as a panacea to avert future financial crises and means to bestow market actors with trust in globalized economies fosters financial market stability and societal progress.