Ethical Banks (was Ethnic Banks)

Toddy

Hi,

I am looking for a bank to save with that invests in green issues, third world that kind of thing. Not only do I need such a body but also would like to know the greatest interest payers.

Can Anybody help please?

Toddy

Petal_3

Do you mean ethical banks? I think Smile (internet bank) is good with those sort of issues...

~x~

Toddy

Ethnic doesn't sound right to me either but my other arf gave me the term. She is a bit of an eco warrior on the sly and wants to invest in environmentally friendly investors.

Toddy

homersimpson_3

suggest you change title of thread to ethical banks because this is what you seem to be requesting information about. typing mistakes etc don't really matter in forums as such- i'm forever editing my posts (even now!). my only concern is that people may scan titles of threads and may think they cannot contribute if they see 'ethnic banks' so you may get less responses. to answer question- co-operative.

cheerfulcat

Triodos is another " ethical " bank. There's also the Ecology Building Society.

If you are of a political bent you might like to know that the Co-operative Society ( Smile's parent ) makes donations to the Labour party; depending on your POV you may or may not find this ethical.

margaretclare

Hi cheerfulcat

Thanks for the info about Smile making donations to the Labour Party. That is NOT acceptable to me although I approve all of their other ethical policies.

Does anyone know of a bank which does NOT make donations to any political party of any persuasion whatever?

AFAIK Triodos don't have a current account.

I realise that the title of this thread 'ethnic banks' was a mistake, that wasn't what was meant, but if there was such a thing as an 'ethnic bank' for the most forgotten ethnic group that exists today - the ethnic English - I'd join it.

Margaret Clare

cheerfulcat

Hi, margaretclare,

I have been looking at the Ethiscore website and thinking of joining; they cover political donations. The site costs £15 pa so not exactly money saving but could be worth it. I'm tempted to try a year's subscription.

EdInvestor

margaretclare wrote:

Thanks for the info about Smile making donations to the Labour Party. That is NOT acceptable to me although I approve all of their other ethical policies.

The Cooperative party also returns MPs, who sit as Labour/Co-op members.The two parties have very close links.

Indeed you could say that the Labour Party emerged from the Cooperative movement early last century.

Chrismaths

Indeed you could say that the Labour Party emerged from the Cooperative movement early last century.

Although it would be more accurate to say that the Labour Party emerged from the trade union movement, and then merged with the cooperative party. Still same difference.

gingercordial

I assumed by "ethnic banks" that this would either be a question about how to find a branch of your foreign bank in the UK (round my part of London there are countless branches of banks from all round the world) or possibly a question about something along the lines of the shariah compliant banking services being offered these days. But onto ethical banks... I suspect that you're never going to agree 100% with every single investment policy of your chosen bank, unless you start your own! Or just invest the money directly into shares of companies you approve of. If you don't want to do that, Cooperative and Smile are definitely the most ethical ones out there for the time being.

Andy_L

margaretclare wrote:

Thanks for the info about Smile making donations to the Labour Party. That is NOT acceptable to me although I approve all of their other ethical policies.

Are you going to avoid Sainsburys & Tescos for the same reason?