Guides
There are many ways to include your social and environmental values in financial decisions. These guides provide an introduction for incorporating your values into shopping, banking and investing.
Shopping Introduction
To get started, here are three key steps to have more valued aligned shopping.
- Research which companies align with your values. For example the Better World Shopper provides list of companies with human rights, animal rights, , environmental, community involvement and social justice.
- Look for specific products that are healthy and sustainable. The GoodGuide provides products including personal care, household goods, and safe products for children.
Banking Introduction
There are options to find valued aligned banks that prioritize social and environmental issues. For example, consider the steps below.
- Use a local credit union. You can search nearby credit unions, as well as use services like A Smarter Choice or Bank Local to find impactful bank opportunities near you. Many offer free checking with interest and have wide access to ATMs.
- Another option is to use Benefit “B” corporation banks that consider social and environmental issues. Some examples include Aspiration, Amalgamated Bank and Beneficial State Bank.
- There is also the option for high impact saving opportunities. For example CNote earns 2.5% return and is invests in providing financing to low-income or disadvantaged communities. Neighborly is another service to offer municipal bonds that can help fund provides that are relevant to your area.
Investing Introduction
Take some of the steps below to find more valued aligned investments.
- Mutual Funds: If you are investing in mutual funds, you can use tools like Invest Your Values, to check if your funds are Fossil Free, Weapons Free, Deforestation Free, Tobacco Free and have Gender Equality.
- Retirement Plans: Use tools to make your retirement plan more socially responsible. CleanPortfolio provides a 401(k) Values Check by company employer and a portfolio builder to create clean funds. If your retirement plan is an employer-sponsored plan without fossil free or sustainable options, you can also use this toolkit that includes a letter to send to your administrator to ask for new fund options.
- For investing in equities and other asset classes, companies like HIP Investor and Sustainalytics provide sustainability ratings to choose companies to meet your values-based goals.
