Media release

9 July 2019

Use of the Fund EcoMarket (SRI) fund tool has trebled over 12 months – with users indicating growing interest in both sustainability and ethical issues.

Figures released today by SRI Services point to rapidly growing interest in environmental, social and ethical investment in the retail (individual) investment market.

Use of the free to use website, intended primarily for IFAs and other intermediaries, rose dramatically in the 12 months to 30 June 2019 – to over 9,000 ‘unique users’ – up from 3,100 ‘unique users’ in the previous 12 months (July 2017 to June 2018).

Fund EcoMarket use over the 12 months to 30 June 2019

• ‘Unique users’ 9.4k
• Number of ‘sessions’ (number of times the site was used) 14k
• Average session time 4.27 minutes

Figures for the six months to 30 June 2019 indicate accelerating use as the period accounted for more than 50 % of the 12 month total above:

• Fund EcoMarket had 5.5k ‘Unique users’ for the first half of 2019
• There were 7.9k Fund EcoMarket user ‘sessions’ during the first half of 2019

12 Months figures were approximately three times that of the previous 12 months (July 2017 – June 2018) which were:

• ‘Unique users’ 3.1k
• Number of ‘sessions’ 5.6k
  • Source: All quoted numbers are from Google Analytics

What did people search for?

Analytics showed that from 1 January (when this information started to be tracked) to 30 June 2019 there were 12,458 ‘events’.  Or put another way – people clicked on filter or fund options over 12,000 times in the first half of 2019.

The top 50 searches (clicks on filter options and funds) showed a diverse mix – with people selecting generic fund identification options (products, asset types and geographic regions), ‘SRI Styles’* (Fund EcoMarket’s own fund labelling/ classification system) and individual ethical, social and environmental issues, policies, strategies or funds.

Commenting on the results founder Julia Dreblow said: “I am absolutely delighted this site is proving so useful.  These results support my long-held views that individual investors are interested in this area – and that in order to offer advice to clients intermediaries need a wide range of information on both ethical, social and environmental strategies and fund identification information. The fact we go further and publish substantial amounts of fund manager supplied SRI policy and strategy information via filters, text and links alongside fact finding and audit trail support makes it easy for users to ‘look under the bonnet’ and document their findings for their audit trail in just a few clicks.

With regard to the numbers, I am really pleased with the recent increase as the site is now being ‘found’.   Yet in many ways it is the direction of travel that is more important – particularly given the key role investors can and should play in helping to solve environmental and social problems – and the sound financial case for doing so.”

Commenting on the specifics she added: “ ‘OEIC/Unit Trust’ was the most commonly used search (#1), followed by ‘Sustainability Themed’ (#2) options – which tallies with shifting public opinion, government policy and the number of new fund launches in this area.  Our ‘Ethically Balanced’ SRI Style ranked fourth, pointing to significant demand for funds that take values-based (and ESG) issues seriously.

The highest individual ESG or ethical issue was ‘Avoids Coal, Oil and Gas Majors’ (#14) – mirroring growing concerns about the climate emergency and in line with the rapidly growing Divest movement.  This was complimented by other high-ranking searches that reflect the same fears such as ‘[has] Climate Change / GHG policy’ (#19), ‘Invests in clean energy/renewables’ (#21) ‘Avoids Fracking and Tar Sands’ (#24).

The more traditional ethical issues that ranked most highly were ‘Armaments Manufacturers Avoidance’ (#17), ‘Animal Testing excluded’ (#18), ‘Animal Welfare’ (#20) and ‘Avoids Tobacco Production’ (#26) – indicating that these remain important to many people.”

The top 50 Fund EcoMarket searches from 1 January and 30 June 2019 were:

• Ends –

For further information contact:  Julia Dreblow (Founding Director)

E: julia@sriServices.co.uk

T: 07702 673702

W: staging.fundecomarket.co.uk

Notes to Editors

What is Fund EcoMarket?  A free to use, open to all, retail SRI fund tool that helps financial advisers and others to match clients ethical, social and environmental aims to individual fund options. Information is supplied directly by fund managers (in order to avoid the message being distorted by a third party author).

All funds with relevant strategies are displayed. All relevant fund managers are welcome to add SRI  strategy information to their fund entries.

The site is paid for by sponsoring/partnering fund managers whose funds are listed first – with logos displayed.

These are: Rathbones, Sarasin and Partners, Liontrust, Pictet, Quilter, Triodos, Unicorn, M&G, Kames, Janus Henderson, Foresight, WHEB and EdenTree.

Fund EcoMarket is designed to support the IFA advice process but is also used by DFMs, portfolio planners and other investment professionals. It is open to everyone as our mission is to raise awareness of this important area so that more money can be directed towards more positive companies.   https://fundecomarket.co.uk/help/filter-options/how-it-works

What funds are on Fund EcoMarket?  All regulated, retail, onshore, retail OEICs/Unit Trusts, Life, Pension and Investment funds with sustainable, responsible and ethical (SRI) strategies are listed. We also include some SICAVs and DFM options (by invitation).  Listed funds strategies vary significantly but all have specific, explicit environmental, social and/or ethical strategies or policies.  These include screened, themed and engagement led options.

What else is on the site? Support & explanatory information, downloads and videos, the ‘SRI Styles’ based fact find tool, blog, social media links. Fee information on our SRI Styles Directory’ (launched 2011) here: https://fundecomarket.co.uk/help/sri-styles-directory

Who are SRI Services?  An independent company run by Julia Dreblow who specialised in this area since the mid 1990’s.  Fund EcoMarket was launched in 2011.

Julia was previously SRI Marketing Manager at Friends Provident (1996-2008) and was recently reappointed a director of the not for profit industry body UKSIF.  During her previous tenure at UKSIF Julia helped set up (the renamed) ‘Good Money Week’ – twelve years ago.  (GMW, takes place in October). She also does a range of consultancy, media, training and events work in this area. For further information see:  https://staging.fundecomarket.co.uk/about-us  https://fundecomarket.co.uk/help/about-us

Events – our next (free to attend) event is October 9^th at the Barbican, during Good Money Week www.fundecomarket/help/events

Definitions: ‘Unique Users’ refers to the number of individuals visiting the site, ‘Sessions’ refers to the number of times the site was used, ‘Events’ refers to actions taken by users ie ‘clicks’ on filter options.  Presented as displayed on Google Analytics, relating to dates shown.

For more information contact Julia@sriServices.co.uk or see staging.fundecomarket.co.uk

Information published by SRI Services and Fund EcoMarket is ‘for information only’ for UK based users.  We are not authorised or regulated and can not offer advice.