5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (2024)

5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (1)

Invest Like You Mean It:
Socially Responsible Investing 🌿

Where we invest financially is one of the most direct and simple ways we can contribute to values-based positive change in the world. Advancements in technology are continually making this task less intimidating and more accessible, enabling consumers at all investing levels to support sustainability efforts.

These socially responsible investment platforms are easy, automated, transparent, and customizable so you can invest your money in green tech, renewable energy, clean water, and more.

Looking to learn more about investing your money? Check out these inclusive investment podcasts to help get you started.

1. OpenInvest

Socially Responsible Mission | OpenInvest is a Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to bringing transparency to financial services and to making socially responsible investing accessible to all.

When you invest with OpenInvest, you gain access to a comprehensive and fully diversified portfolio that you can then tailor to reflect your values. This investment corporation supports individual and joint accounts, as well as traditional, ROTH, and SEP IRAs—not to mention tax optimization at the individual equities level, so you gain higher tax savings.

How It Works | With this platform, you open a brokerage account, fund the account, and let OpenInvest handle the rest. You can declare what you care about most (i.e., climate change, social equality) so that your investments will directly align.

OpenInvest works to maximize your impacts, which are measured via your online dashboard, and you can join movements, engage, and use investor power to make your assets grow directly with the market. This method will help cut unnecessary fees and taxes, too.

Minimum Investment Amount | $100

Learn more about OpenInvest

2. EarthFolio

Socially Responsible Mission | EarthFolio is a hassle-free automated investing service rooted in the idea that “investing is more than a transaction; it’s a personal stake in the future.” EarthFolio invests exclusively in funds and ETFs with strong ESG—or, Environment, Social, and Governance—practices. This enables you to leave the world a bit better through smart, low cost, time-efficient investing.

How It Works | Answer 10 questions regarding your risk tolerance and goals and a portfolio will then be recommended; it’s that simple. You’ll then own a fully diversified portfolio that is automatically rebalanced and optimized to your specific goals.

With Earthfolio, you can open an individual or joint account, trust account, IRA or Roth Rollover, 401(k) or 403(b) Rollover, or SEP.

Minimum Investment Amount | $25,000, 0.5% annual management fee

Learn more about EarthFolio

3. Ellevest

Socially Responsible Mission | Built by women for women, Ellevest offers the only investment algorithm that considers the unique realities of women’s lives, including pay gaps and longer lifespans. Though Ellevest puts particular emphasis on fair investing for women, the organization works with any adult US citizen to help make financial goals become realities through wise investing.

How It Works | Ellevest creates an investment portfolio using a diverse mix of stock, bond, and alternative funds to help reduce your portfolio’s overall risk. It also recommends how much you should save and help you roll over a 401(k) or transfer a traditional, Roth, or SEP IRA. With its Impact Portfolio, you can invest in women in leadership, sustainable practices, and community development.

Minimum Investment Amount | No minimum balance

Learn more about Ellevest

4. SVX

Socially Responsible Mission | Based in Canada, SVX provides vital support to pre-vetted ventures and funds by connecting the opportunities to investors who may also be seeking financial return. It offers a curated selection of campaigns within the industries of cleantech, social inclusion, health & wellness, and more. And all of the products on the platform are Canadian private market securities.

How It Works | Using the platform, investors can browse active opportunities. Once interested in an issuer and after completing the accreditation process, SVX will review your investment to ensure it fits with your goals. It will hold your funds securely in trust and once the campaign is closed, if successful, you’ll receive your investment documentation. You can use the platform to manage your investments, make transactions, and view the issuer’s financial history and traction.

Minimum Investment Amount | Varies based on opportunity

Learn more about SVX

5. Wunder Capital

Socially Responsible Mission | Founded in 2013, this award-winning investment platform is helping people invest in solar projects in the US.

How It Works | Wunder has a national network of large-scale solar partners and actively manages all sourcing of commercial solar opportunities—from underwriting to contracting to the construction of each project. From there, the investment platform manages ongoing relationships with solar customers while sending profits to investors. The trusted team of Department of Energy researchers and industry leaders determine which projects to pursue, so your investment is diverse and well-vetted.

Minimum Investment Amount | Not currently accepting investments, but check back!

Learn more about Wunder Capital

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5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit (2024)

FAQs

5 Socially Responsible Investment Platforms That Help You Invest In Both Purpose & Profit? ›

Socially responsible investments—known as conscious capitalism—include eschewing investments in companies that produce or sell addictive substances or activities (like alcohol, gambling, and tobacco) in favor of seeking out companies that are engaged in social justice, environmental sustainability, and alternative ...

What are examples of socially responsible investments? ›

Socially responsible investments—known as conscious capitalism—include eschewing investments in companies that produce or sell addictive substances or activities (like alcohol, gambling, and tobacco) in favor of seeking out companies that are engaged in social justice, environmental sustainability, and alternative ...

What is an example of a social investment? ›

An example of this kind of financial investment would be capital advanced at market rate to a nonprofit organization managing old growth forests on a sustainable basis and selling harvested wood at market prices. Loans would be repaid from the surplus achieved through the sale of wood.

What are the three main ways investors can partake in socially responsible investing? ›

Types of Socially Responsible Investments
  • Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) Several mutual funds and ETFs adhere to the ESG criteria. ...
  • Community Investments. An investor can also put their money directly into projects that benefit communities. ...
  • Microfinance.

What is the best social investing app? ›

Interactive Brokers' Impact app is becoming a popular choice for socially responsible investing through a robo advisor. It was voted the top ESG broker by BrokerChooser in 2022 and the apps' parent company, Interactive Brokers, took home numerous awards this year, including best online broker.

What is a socially responsible investment fund? ›

Socially responsible investing is the practice of investing for both social betterment and financial returns. This looks like either choosing investments that align with your values or avoiding investments that don't. These different approaches can be broadly categorized as negative screening and positive screening.

What is an example of a socially responsible company? ›

Ben and Jerry's

Ben and Jerry's ice cream is world-famous, but it's equally well-known for its activism and philanthropy for various social issues. They've supported a lot of social causes that are closely related to their business of making and selling ice cream.

What are social investment policies? ›

Social Investment: financial and non-financial contributions that have proven to help local communities and broader society to tackle their development priorities.

What is meant by social investment? ›

Social investment is about investing in people. It means policies designed to strengthen people's skills and capacities and support them to participate fully in employment and social life. Key policy areas include education, quality childcare, healthcare, training, job-search assistance and rehabilitation.

What is social investing called? ›

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is an investing strategy that aims to generate both social change and financial returns for an investor. Socially responsible investments can include companies making a positive sustainable or social impact, such as a solar energy company, and exclude those making a negative impact.

What are the 3 keys to investing? ›

Select investments—Choose what to buy and when. Monitor—Evaluate your investments periodically for changes in strategy, relative performance, and risk. Rebalance—Revisit your investment mix to maintain the risk level you are comfortable with.

Does socially responsible investing make a difference? ›

Socially responsible investment performance

In 2021, most sustainable funds earned better total and risk-adjusted returns than their category indexes, according to Morningstar. Sustainable U.S. large-blend funds beat their traditional fund peers in 2021 as well as over the trailing 3- and 5-year periods.

What is the 3 investment strategy? ›

A three-fund portfolio is a portfolio which uses only basic asset classes — usually a domestic stock "total market" index fund, an international stock "total market" index fund and a bond "total market" index fund.

What is the best investing app for beginners? ›

7 Best Investment Apps for Beginners
  • SoFi Invest.
  • Investr.
  • Betterment.
  • Robinhood.
  • Acorns.
  • Ellevest.
  • Suma Wealth.
Mar 25, 2024

What is the most trusted investment app? ›

Best investing apps to help you make money
  • Betterment – Best app for automated investing.
  • Invstr – Best app for education.
  • Acorns – Best app for saving.
  • Wealthbase – Best app for trading games and contests.
  • Wealthfront – Best app for portfolio management.
  • Fidelity Investments – Best app for managing money all-in-one.

Which plan is best for investment? ›

The best investment options for tax saving in India include Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Pension System (NPS), Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS), Tax Savings Fixed Deposit, Unit Linked Insurance Plans (ULIPs), and National Savings Certificate (NSC). Where to Invest Money In 2024?

Does Fidelity have socially responsible funds? ›

Sustainable investing at Fidelity enables you to align your investments to outcomes shaped by environmental, social, or governance (ESG) factors.

What socially responsible funds typically avoid investing in? ›

Socially responsible investing considers the social and environmental impact of any investment. Early socially minded investors avoided alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and weapons-making businesses.

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