Investing is now seen as one of the most effective ways to get companies to become socially responsible – beating fundraising, giving to charity or holding protests.
New research by investment trust F&C has found that one in five people now believe the way you invest your money can drive positive change in business.
The survey revealed more than half of all adults are committed to tackling environmental and social issues – and want companies to help support this.
In it together: New research by investment trust F&C has found that one in five people now believe the way you invest your money can drive positive change in business
The cost-of-living crisis, extreme weather and the Covid-19 pandemic have been given as reasons for the increased desire for firms to act more responsibly.
But although investing is rated highly, voting was still considered to be the best way to push forward change by the majority of the 2,000 people questioned in the survey.
Even so, fewer than 10 per cent of investors bother to vote regularly at any company annual general meeting.
F&C chairwoman Beatrice Hollond says: ‘It is encouraging to see people become increasingly committed to tackling the issues in the world they see around them – and recognising investing as a means of effective positive change.
For those worried that their individual vote will not make a difference, investment trusts offer an opportunity to use collective voting power.’
The Mail on Sunday has long campaigned for shareholders to use their voting power – and has also called for the wealth platforms that investors use to support this drive.
Voting can influence a wide variety of issues – not just the environmental and social approaches of a company, but also how much bosses might pay themselves.
The Interactive Investor platform introduced automatic voting enrolment for investors in shares held on its platform last year.
But competitors, such as Hargreaves Lansdown, still demand that you contact the broker directly and ask for the company share voting paperwork to be sent out.
