One day, my savings will save the world.

Today’s consumer takes his social undertakings seriously and is now looking to put meaning into his savings and investments. It’s not surprising then that banks are increasing their CSR investments.

Spotlight on this emerging trend.

Savings products have put financial performance above all else for some time. Partly because consumers were not asking for CSR-oriented products. Also, the indicators were not sufficiently developed. With these new investments, “virtuous” behaviour requires little more than having a sense of sacrifice.

Can we reconcile investment with the environment?

The answer is most certainly yes.

In the last 5 years, 10 of the best socially responsible investment funds (SRI), referenced in the Eurozone by asset management company Morningstar, came in the top 50 in terms of performance.

It’s not surprising when these so-called “responsible” investments reached more than 30,700 billion dollars in 2018.

Each to their own vision of sustainable development.

There are numerous indicators and sensitivities too. Water preservation, wind energy development, waste management…each fund offers something that meets the individual’s aspirations. So, while some limit investment in fossil fuels, others prohibit it completely.

But is that enough?

Health, equality of the sexes,

Should so-called green and ‘virtuous’ investment confine itself to certain sectors or to certain environment based indicators? Not necessarily. This is why funds are increasingly broadening their offer.

BNP Paribas’s Human Development fund is doing this by integrating factors related to health and also by making their products available to those will more modest revenues.

To help you get your bearings

Some examples of responsible investments in the French market:

  • Axa, which has developed a crowdsourcing platform to gather ideas and opinion to develop more mindful financial products: monassurancecitoyenne.com
  • Caisse d’Epargne with its investment in Dynamic Job Insertion, which favours employment in France.
  • Oney which, with its life insurance product allows clients to choose to invest in companies that are trying to reducing climatic effects, offers Climate Impact. An investment fund which invests in companies which are prepared to adapt to climatic conditions.