Schools, religious groups, foundations, labor unions, health associations, and concerned individuals are making SAI a priority investment issue. In fact, nearly one dollar out of every ten being invested in the United States is now part of some type of SAI portfolio.
Social investors are concerned about a wide range of issues.
This can be reflected in a portfolio designed to avoid problematic areas of investment and to support those areas actively promoting social and environmental well-being. Investors may select companies with strong records in community service, charitable giving, employee relations, and environmental problem- solving. Alternatively, investors may choose to avoid exposure to corporate involvement with tobacco, alcohol, gambling, military contracts, environmental problems, nuclear power, or companies that do business in countries with human rights violations. Whether investors are concerned with the environment, the community, the workplace, or a host of other issues affecting the quality of the world we live in, SAI offers the opportunity to invest with one's values. Even though SAI is growing in popularity, it has opponents, who say it cannot also provide competitive returns.