Ethical consumerism drives change in children's savings

Increasing numbers of parents want to make ethical investments on behalf of their children, and advisers could lose business by failing to meet the needs of these consumers

The ethical investment market is thriving, as conscientious consumers put their money where their mouths are and go green with their finances. Ethical investments in Britain hit record levels by the end of last year, with more than £6bn invested in around half a million accounts, according to the Ethical Investment Research Service (Eiris). This is an increase of around 300% since 1997 when less than £1.5 bn was invested ethically. And unsurprisingly, this phenomenal level of growth is reflected in the investments on offer; today in the UK, investors and their advisers can choose from more ...