SRI Services: Launch news release

News Release: 3 June 2011

New Green and Ethical Investment hub ‘SRI Services’ launched for IFAs

A new IFA website focusing on green and ethical investment has been launched by former Friends Provident SRI Marketing Manager and UKSIF Director, Julia Dreblow. The site is a hub of practical information, tips and tools to help advisers make the most of the growing range of green and ethical investment opportunities.

The site staging.fundecomarket.co.uk offers a wealth of free information for IFAs about sustainable and responsible investment options. This includes information on the different issues and approaches offered, an advice ‘road map’ and a ‘top tips’ directory – with more under development.

Commenting on the new site Julia Dreblow said;

“Sustainable and Responsible Investment is a long way from reaching its full potential in the UK adviser market – but it is very ‘now’. With the RDR(1) just around the corner now is the perfect time for IFAs to get serious about offering green and ethical investment options to help demonstrate their benefits.

An investor in their 40’s today will be retiring into a world where the environmental and sustainability agenda will have had a significant impact. Advisers should be talking to clients about how the future might look and building this into investment decisions as appropriate.

… It is early days, but this site will be entirely focused on helping advisers make more of these investment opportunities – as the institutional investment market has done for some years.”

SRI Services has clustered the UK green and ethical investment market into seven segments to simplify the advice process. These segments – referred to as ‘EcoStyles’- are based around funds’ core green and ethical features.

The EcoStyles are the first part of a new ‘Fund EcoMarket’ tool, due for release later this year. The Fund EcoMarket will include a database of all UK green and ethical funds (as listed by Synaptic Research) split by EcoStyle and product area. By answering a few questions advisers will be able to identify the EcoStyles that best suit a client’s needs – and produce a list of possible SRI investment options.

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Note to editors:

For comments or queries please email: Julia@fundecomarket.co.uk

Phone: 07702 – 563702

Web address: www fundecomarket.co.uk

(1) Retail Distribution Review – a FSA (regulatory) review that will impact financial advisers from 31/12/12

The site contains green and ethical/ SRI (sustainable and responsible investment) specific information only. It aims to complement existing advice processes and support the adviser sales process by offering information that is not readily available elsewhere.

The site is for use by professional financial advisers only and aims to encourage advisers to discuss green and ethical investment more regularly with their clients by making it easier for them to do so. SRI Services are not authorised to offer financial advice.

The first elements of the Fund EcoMarket are available on-line now. This includes information on the seven EcoStyles and draft input / output screens. Other aspect including the fund database tool, are under development.

Julia Dreblow has been involved in SRI since the early 1990’s and has specialised in the area since 1998. She held a number of roles in Friends Provident developing their SRI, green and ethical investment proposition. She was SRI Marketing Manager and spokesperson until mid 2008, having been responsible for the Stewardship brand and the development of their green and ethical investment options. Julia served on the UKSIF board for 7 years having initially been co-opted to help develop a retail programme. She was also on the inaugural National Ethical Investment Week Advisory Board. She has worked closely with advisers, SRI analysts and experts and the media for 15 years.

The SRI Services site is for use by UK professional financial advisers only. SRI Services is not authorised to give investment advice. Individual investors should visit www.unbiased.co.uk to find an IFA who can discuss possible options. The information on the site does not in any way constitute advice or recommendation. The information and tools are intended to compliment, not replace existing adviser information sources. Investment decisions should not be based on the information contained on this site alone. Advisers are recommended to confirm fund information with fund managers. SRI Services cannot be held responsible for advice given as a result of using the site and are not responsible for the content of sites linked to this service, although every care is taken to ensure content is as accurate as possible at time of publication.