Ethical criteria are too tricky to define and apply to an investment policy, so whats the point?
A university’s investment decisions rely upon the information and instructions that the finance director receives. Ethical concerns can form a part of this process as there are recognised frameworks for socially responsible investing- and for ascertaining institutional values. Directors of finance can be instructed to weigh ethical and financial considerations and the evidence from the size of the UK ethical investment market (£17bn screened + £280bn under ‘engagement’ instructions), and its positive performance shows that many do so successfully.
