Values-Based investing – It’s a Thing!

Just this past week, several socially conscious individuals are calling for a boycott of companies who are not providing safe working conditions for their employees during the Covid-19 crisis.  You could consider this “values-based shopping”.  What you may not realize is that you can also participate in “values-based investing” – in other words, investing in companies that you feel are socially responsible.  This strategy of investing has become so significant, it has a name!  It is called ESG investing.

So, What the Heck is ESG?

ESG Investing is a term that is often used synonymously with sustainable investing, socially responsible investing, and mission-related investing. ESG investing takes into consideration environmental, social and governance factors in addition to financial factors in the investment decision-making process.

ESG Stands for…

Environmental, Social, Governance

Environmental: How does a company help

Social: How does the company treat its employees, its vendors and customers? What other opportunities has it taken advantage of?

Governance: How does the company fare with corporate governance? Is corporate behavior responsible?

ESG is Socially Responsible Investing

ESG investing began in the 1960s as socially responsible investing. Investors excluded investing in certain stocks or entire industries — tobacco, weapons, etc. because of the negative social consequences of their products.  It has evolved to include consideration of values and corporate ethics. Of course, traditional financial analysis remains a part of the ESG investment process.

The bottom line is ESG Investing allows socially conscious individuals to align themselves with companies that share their values and their passion for making the world a better place.  Not surprisingly, ESG investing is growing significantly with both institutional and retail investors and is even more of the focus in corporate America now because of the Coronavirus.

The StockSquirrel Community believes in ESG Investing

Because millennials and Gen-Z investors CARE! StockSquirrel investors CARE! They care about the impact that companies have in the world and want to be involved with those companies — as a customer and owner (shareholder)…and they want to have a voice in the behavior of the companies they love and whose products they buy. Simple!

Does ESG Investing Appeal to YOU?

Stock squirrel facilitates ESG investing in two important ways:

1. We will keep you informed about some of the great things companies are doing in the ESG space.
2. We make it easy!  Shop at the companies whose values align with yours and our app will help you to purchase stock automatically from those companies.

Here are some companies that rate high as ESG companies:

• Microsoft
• Hasbro
• Home Depot
• Salesforce
• Campbell Soup
• Procter & Gamble
• Google
• PepsiCo
• Coca-Cola
• Best Buy
• Darden Restaurants
• Apple
• PayPal
• AT&T
• Etsy