scholarly journals Beyond Socially Responsible Investing: Effects of Mission-Driven Portfolio Selection

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tizian M. Fritz ◽  
Georg von Schnurbein
Keyword(s):  
Portfolio Selection ◽  
Joint Analysis ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Rating Data ◽  
Screening Criteria ◽  
Responsible Investing ◽  
Charitable Foundations ◽  
Bootstrap Approach ◽  
Moving Block Bootstrap ◽  
Adequate Evaluation

In their pursuit of value creation, charitable foundations are mission- rather than profit-driven. Therefore, foundations are also mission-driven investors. We explore the effects of mission-driven portfolio selection based on three model foundations, representing common fields of activity in Switzerland. Employing a moving block bootstrap approach, we simulate time series. Based on these model foundations and under the integration of qualitative company rating data, such as environmental, social, and governance-related characteristics (ESG), we find both negative and no significant financial effects of portfolio screening. However, screening portfolios substantially increases mission-driven portfolio quality. Additionally, screening reduces reputational risks and even leptokurtic return characteristics under special consideration of governance issues. After a joint analysis of financial and qualitative factors for portfolios with equity shares of 25% and 50%, we did find strong enough evidence to encourage foundations to implement negative and positive screening criteria. Additionally, we argue that without the integration of mission-based qualitative criteria, for instance, the involvement in business activities contradicting the foundation’s mission, an adequate evaluation of investment opportunities’ desirability is not feasible.

Understanding Socially Responsible Investing and Its Implications for Islamic Investment Industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Mohd Nizam Barom
Keyword(s):  
Investment Decision ◽  
Socially Responsible Investing ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Responsible Investment ◽  
Developed Economies ◽  
Responsible Investing ◽  
Screening Strategies ◽  
Investment Process ◽  
Islamic Investment

Understanding Socially Responsible Investing and Its Implications for Islamic Investment Industry // // // // // Social, ethical and environmental concerns have been used as important consideration for investment decision by an increasing number of investors. This can be seen by the size and growth of the socially responsible investment (SRI) industry in the developed economies. At the same time, scholars and commentators of Islamic finance have also called for Islamic investment industry to learn from the experience of SRI in incorporating social responsibility issues in the investment process, in line with the ethical principles of Islam and the overall objective of the Shari’ah (Maqasid al-Shari’ah). This would require Islamic investment sector to have a clear understanding of the SRI industry in order to effectively benefit from its experience. This is particularly critical due to the significant diversity of investors and complexity in the issues and strategies adopted in the SRI industry. Hence, this paper adds to the Islamic investment literature by providing an extensive  and systematic survey of SRI industry in terms of its (i) underlying motivations and values; (ii) issues of concerns; (iii) types of investors; and (iv) screening strategies. It then synthesizes these components within the context of the ‘value-based’ investors. This synthesized framework offers a useful tool for Islamic investment practitioners to understand the theoretical and practical aspects of SRI. Subsequently, the paper highlights important implications of the findings for Islamic investment industry in terms of the issues that it needs to consider in emulating SRI practices and a number of lessons that it can learn from the SRI experience.  

A Special-Purpose Taxonomy of Corporate Social Performance Concepts

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett A. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Mutual Fund ◽  
Corporate Social Performance ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Fund Managers ◽  
Responsible Investing ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Socially Responsible Mutual Funds ◽  
Corporate Social

The first iteration of a nonstatic special-purpose taxonomy of corporate social performance concepts is developed from a mailed, self-administered survey completed by managers of U.S. socially responsible mutual funds. The study combines the traditionally disparate research areas of Corporate Social Performance and Socially Responsible Investing. As a partial update of Rockness and Williams (1988), a descriptive account is presented of what mutual fund managers regard as the social issues that constitute corporate social performance. The resulting taxonomy represents an empirically derived framework useful in considering social accounting in general and accounting standard setting in particular.

Private ethical fund investors across countries and time: a survey-based review

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anett Wins ◽  
Bernhard Zwergel
Keyword(s):  
Keyword Search ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Screening Criteria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Responsible Investment ◽  
Private Investors ◽  
Ethical Funds ◽  
Fund Portfolio

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an overview of the literature to point out similarities and differences among private ethical investors across countries and time. Over the past three decades, many surveys have been conducted to advance the understanding of the demographic characteristics, motivation and morals of private ethical investors across countries and time. To date, the survey-based evidence on private investors into ethical funds is geographically rather segmented, and the research questions are fairly diverse. This permits only very temporally or regionally selective conclusions. Thereby, the authors identify interesting topics for future research. Design/methodology/approach – To identify the relevant literature for our review, the authors carried out a structured Boolean keyword search using major library services and databases. Findings – When questions about negative screening criteria are presented in a direct investment context, the consensus of private ethical investors “worldwide” (on average) is that social screening issues are most important, followed by ecological and moral topics. The percentage of ethical funds in the fund portfolio of the average private ethical investor in Europe seems to increase when the investor exhibits high degrees of pro-social attitudes and perceived consumer effectiveness. European private ethical investors are of the opinion that ethical funds perform worse but are less risky than conventional funds. Practical implications – The authors make suggestions on how investment companies should design their funds so that they can attract more socially responsible investors. Originality/value – The paper is of particular value because it focuses on private investors in the fast growing retail market of socially responsible investment funds.

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