Look on the good side

Investors who want to back their values with their cash need to make sure the ESG label does what it says

- SUSAN HELY

How responsible do you want your investments to be? If you have strong views on issues such as climate change, tobacco, weapons, preserving the rights of First Nations people, harmful mining practices, nuclear power, gambling, human rights abuse and alcohol, you can put your money where your mouth is.

You can select a manager that ditches the sin stocks and selects the companies that line up with your values. Or you can pick a manager that is actively forcing companies to change through its engagement with them about their exposure to these issues.

Just as you vote for the political candidate who speaks to what is important to you, you can use your superannuation and investments to reflect your personal views. Investing is one direct route to boost companies with low carbon emissions and shun the companies emitting loads of greenhouse gases.

There is a smorgasbord of responsible investments in Australia. It is growing too, particularly as the world struggles with the devastating effects of climate change. It has become front of mind for many people. In fact, responsible investments grew in Australia by $298 billion to $1,281 billion in 2020, according to the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia (RIAA).

While I use the term responsible, there are other labels, including green, ethical, sustainable as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors.