Ethical investors will hear how they can make their money count at an event in Bristol next week hosted by a group of organisations based in the city.
Rathbone Greenbank Investments has teamed up with Triodos Bank, the Bristol Fairtrade Network and Shared Interest to stage the session next Friday as part of Good Money Week 2015.
Speakers at the event titled Make Your Money Count will explore key issues around how to invest ethically and sustainably and give practical advice. 
Bristol is widely regarded as a major centre for alternative forms of investment – a rapidly growing part of the financial services sector – and has long been home to Rathbone Greenbank, ethical bank Triodos and organisations linked to ethical investing.
In July Rathbone Greenbank staged its Annual Investors Day in Bristol as part of the city’s Big Green Week with Eden Project co-founder Sir Tim Smit as keynote speaker.
A month earlier the city had been chosen to host social enterprise Ethex’s Annual Gathering. Research by Ethex, which helps investors use their money to ‘do good’ by backing social enterprises such as sustainable energy, community housing and ethical food businesses, revealed that Bristol is the UK’s second best area for positive investment.
Next Friday’s Make Your Money Count event is at MShed, Wapping Road, from 10am-2pm.
Head of Rathbone Greenbank Investments, John David, pictured, said: “Good Money Week is an excellent platform for raising awareness of ethical and sustainable investment.
“The world faces many challenges, as highlighted by the recently published 17 Global Sustainable Development Goals, ranging from climate action to quality education. As investors we can be part of the problem or part of the solution. At Rathbone Greenbank Investments we seek to invest our clients’ capital for a more sustainable future. We think that doing so is both the responsible approach and one that will reap long term economic benefits for all stakeholders.”
Shared Interest Society managing director Patricia Alexander added: “Even with over 9,000 UK members investing more than £33m in share capital, we are seeing demand for our lending services outstrip supply. Good Money Week is a great way of highlighting the work of social lenders and reaching people who want to use their money more ethically but don’t know how.”
Speakers at Make Your Money Count will include:
Matt Crossman, Ethical Research & Corporate Engagement, Rathbone Greenbank Investments
How active engagement can make a difference
John David, Head of Rathbone Greenbank Investments
Investing for change
Patricia Alexander, Managing Director, Shared Interest Society
Impact investing in Fairtrade
Charles Middleton, UK Managing Director, Triodos Bank
Sustainable Banking – Myth or Legend
Chair for the day will be Bristol and South West Fairtrade co-ordinator Jenny Foster.
Rathbone Greenbank Investments, been based in Bristol since 1997, and is the specialist ethical and sustainable investment team of FTSE 250-listed asset management group Rathbone Brothers.
It manages £740m of assets on behalf of 1,300 socially responsible investors, including charities, trusts and private clients, who are keen for their investments to reflect their values.
