The requirements of ethical fund managers and property investment

Abstract

Ethical and environmental investment criteria, now known as socially responsible investment (SRI), are increasingly commonplace in the market today. Some investors have specifically set themselves up as ethical investors. Consequently, ethical considerations are a cornerstone of their investment policy. Many of the funding institutions have ethical investment arms, even where these are not their mainstream activity. Understanding the role of ethical investors, and their ethical considerations, within the property market would appear, therefore, to be of increasing importance to the property professions. The activities of funding institutions specifically marketing themselves as ethical and those not so doing are explored, using an in‐depth questionnaire, in order to determine what these environmental criteria are and the way in which they are considered. The results are placed in the context of property and property investment. It is concluded that a knowledge of ethical issues is advantageous for property professionals, especially when advising ethical investor clients.