5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (2024)

5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (1)

Invest Like You Mean It:
Socially Responsible Investing 🌿

Where we invest financially is one of the most direct and simple ways we can contribute to values-based positive change in the world. Advancements in technology are continually making this task less intimidating and more accessible, enabling consumers at all investing levels to support sustainability efforts.

These socially responsible investment platforms are easy, automated, transparent, and customizable so you can invest your money in green tech, renewable energy, clean water, and more.

Looking to learn more about investing your money? Check out these inclusive investment podcasts to help get you started.

1. OpenInvest

Socially Responsible Mission | OpenInvest is a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to bringing transparency to financial services and to making socially responsible investing accessible to all.

When you invest with OpenInvest, you gain access to a comprehensive and fully diversified portfolio that you can then tailor to reflect your values. This investment corporation supports individual and joint accounts, as well as traditional, ROTH, and SEP IRAs—not to mention tax optimization at the individual equities level, so you gain higher tax savings.

How It Works | With this platform, you open a brokerage account, fund the account, and let OpenInvest handle the rest. You can declare what you care about most (i.e., climate change, social equality) so that your investments will directly align.

OpenInvest works to maximize your impacts, which are measured via your online dashboard, and you can join movements, engage, and use investor power to make your assets grow directly with the market. This method will help cut unnecessary fees and taxes, too.

Minimum Investment Amount | $100

Learn more about OpenInvest

2. EarthFolio

Socially Responsible Mission | EarthFolio is a hassle-free automated investing service rooted in the idea that “investing is more than a transaction; it’s a personal stake in the future.” EarthFolio invests exclusively in funds and ETFs with strong ESG—or, Environment, Social, and Governance—practices. This enables you to leave the world a bit better through smart, low cost, time-efficient investing.

How It Works | Answer 10 questions regarding your risk tolerance and goals and a portfolio will then be recommended; it’s that simple. You’ll then own a fully diversified portfolio that is automatically rebalanced and optimized to your specific goals.

With Earthfolio, you can open an individual or joint account, trust account, IRA or Roth Rollover, 401(k) or 403(b) Rollover, or SEP.

Minimum Investment Amount | $25,000, 0.5% annual management fee

Learn more about EarthFolio

3. Ellevest

Socially Responsible Mission | Built by women for women, Ellevest offers the only investment algorithm that considers the unique realities of women’s lives, including pay gaps and longer lifespans. Though Ellevest puts particular emphasis on fair investing for women, the organization works with any adult US citizen to help make financial goals become realities through wise investing.

How It Works | Ellevest creates an investment portfolio using a diverse mix of stock, bond, and alternative funds to help reduce your portfolio’s overall risk. It also recommends how much you should save and help you roll over a 401(k) or transfer a traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA. With its Impact Portfolio, you can invest in women in leadership, sustainable practices, and community development.

Minimum Investment Amount | No minimum balance

Learn more about Ellevest

4. SVX

Socially Responsible Mission | Based in Canada, SVX provides vital support to pre-vetted ventures and funds by connecting the opportunities to investors who may also be seeking financial return. It offers a curated selection of campaigns within the industries of cleantech, social inclusion, health & wellness, and more. And all of the products on the platform are Canadian private market securities.

How It Works | Using the platform, investors can browse active opportunities. Once interested in an issuer and after completing the accreditation process, SVX will review your investment to ensure it fits with your goals. It will hold your funds securely in trust and once the campaign is closed, if successful, you’ll receive your investment documentation. You can use the platform to manage your investments, make transactions, and view the issuer’s financial history and traction.

Minimum Investment Amount | Varies based on opportunity

Learn more about SVX

5. Wunder Capital

Socially Responsible Mission | Founded in 2013, this award-winning investment platform is helping people invest in solar projects in the US.

How It Works | Wunder has a national network of large-scale solar partners and actively manages all sourcing of commercial solar opportunities—from underwriting to contracting to the construction of each project. From there, the investment platform manages ongoing relationships with solar customers while sending profits to investors. The trusted team of Department of Energy researchers and industry leaders determine which projects to pursue, so your investment is diverse and well-vetted.

Minimum Investment Amount | Not currently accepting investments, but check back!

Learn more about Wunder Capital

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5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (2024)

FAQs

5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit? ›

Socially responsible investing is the practice of investing money in companies and funds that have positive social impacts. Socially responsible investing has been growing in popularity in recent history.

What are examples of socially responsible investments? ›

Types of Socially Responsible Investments
  • Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Several mutual funds and ETFs adhere to the ESG criteria. ...
  • Community Investments. An investor can also put their money directly into projects that benefit communities. ...
  • Microfinance.

What is socially responsible investing? ›

Socially responsible investing is the practice of investing money in companies and funds that have positive social impacts. Socially responsible investing has been growing in popularity in recent history.

What is the best social investing app? ›

Interactive Brokers' Impact app is becoming a popular choice for socially responsible investing through a robo advisor. It was voted the top ESG broker by BrokerChooser in 2022 and the apps' parent company, Interactive Brokers, took home numerous awards this year, including best online broker.

Which investment seeks to consider both financial return and social good? ›

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is any investment strategy which seeks to consider financial return alongside ethical, social or environmental goals. The areas of concern recognized by SRI practitioners are often linked to environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics.

What is an example of a socially responsible company? ›

IKEA's social responsibility starts with the materials used in its products — including sustainable cotton, wool, and wood. They also plan to use only recycled or renewable plastic by 2030. Through the IKEA Foundation, they support more families to escape poverty by creating a sustainable income.

What is an example of a social investor? ›

Social Impact Bonds

A Social Impact Bond (SIB) is a payment-by-results contract where social investors pay for your organisation to deliver a service – for example, helping homeless people to find a home – and the Government repays the investors with interest if the service is successful.

What are social responsibilities to investors? ›

Accepting funding from investors puts you in a fiduciary role in which you're responsible for managing their money and putting their needs above your own. It also requires acting ethically, leading effectively, and fulfilling your fiduciary duties.

What is a social investment fund? ›

Social investment is not a grant but a loan or investment provided to enable your organisation to generate more income or be more effective. Social investment funds are generally open to trading voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

What are socially responsible investing values? ›

Socially responsible investing expresses the investor's value judgment, of which several approaches may be used. One example is when an investor avoids companies or industries that offer products or services the investor perceives to be harmful.

What is the safest app to invest money? ›

Summary: Best Investing Apps
CompanyForbes Advisor RatingBest For
Betterment4.8Best Robo-advisor Investment App
TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim4.4Best Investment App for Experienced Investors
Fidelity Mobile4.3Best Investment App for Average Investors
E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley3.6Best Investment App For Beginners
1 more row

What platform is best to start investing? ›

NerdWallet's Best Brokers for Beginners of June 2024
  • Robinhood: Best for beginner crypto investors.
  • Charles Schwab: Best for trading platform for beginners.
  • E*TRADE: Best for educational content.
  • J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing: Best for in-person customer support.
  • Vanguard: Best for index funds and ETFs.
6 days ago

What is the best investment right now? ›

11 best investments right now
  • High-yield savings accounts.
  • Certificates of deposit (CDs)
  • Bonds.
  • Money market funds.
  • Mutual funds.
  • Index Funds.
  • Exchange-traded funds.
  • Stocks.
May 22, 2024

What is a social investment strategy? ›

"Social impact investing is an approach to investing that seeks to tackle social issues, generating positive social impact alongside financial returns. It involves directly or indirectly investing in organisations or projects that have a social mission or focus, with the goal of creating positive change in the world.

What is a socially responsible investment portfolio? ›

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is an investing strategy that aims to generate both social change and financial returns for an investor. Socially responsible investments can include companies making a positive sustainable or social impact, such as a solar energy company, and exclude those making a negative impact.

Is socially responsible investing profitable? ›

Financial returns are secondary to doing good. This doesn't mean SRI can't be both morally upstanding and profitable. In 2022, the Morningstar U.S. Sustainability Index outperformed its non-SRI parent by more than 0.6% and the S&P 500 by 0.7%.

What are the examples of ESG investing? ›

Environmental: Investors evaluate corporate climate policies, energy use, waste, pollution, natural resource conservation, and treatment of animals. Considerations may include direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions, management of toxic waste, and compliance with environmental regulations.1.

What is an example of responsible investing? ›

Another example of a socially responsible investing ESG portfolio would be the Aggressive growth ethical investment portfolio. It contains civil and governance ETFs, low carbon ETFs, and cleantech ETFs and has a high socially responsible investing performance. It puts all its investments in equity.

What is an example of ethical investing? ›

Ethical investing is for investors who want to invest their money for noble causes. For example, if an investor thinks that tobacco is unhealthy, then they would avoid companies that produce tobacco or own investments in tobacco-manufacturing companies.

What is an ethical and socially responsible investment? ›

Responsible investment is an approach to investment that explicitly acknowledges the relevance to the investor of environmental, social and governance factors, and of the long-term health and stability of the market as a whole.

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