Icesave - please think before you apply

codetown

I think you are making a gross misjudgment here.
The fact this bank comes from Iceland does not imply they agree with any decision their government makes. Have you extended your research maybe inquiring their PR office about it? Have you tried approaching anyone at that company at all?

If you judged people via their government actions I think you would take 95% of the world out of business. Certainly you would need to stop doing any business (and even living there for coherence) with any UK and USA entity (check how many people were killed in Iraq and Afganistan in the last 10 years; people not whales!). And if you just want to stay in UK, why do you think whales hunting is any different from fox hunting or bird or any other animal hunting? Have you ever thought to stop using any UK bank because animals are killed every day?

I am sure if you have energy and are really convinced of what you say you would use other means to let them understand how much whales mean for you. Just pushing words like this makes no sense and I am 100% sure no difference to the success/failure of ICISAVE

DocProc

This reminds me a bit of how the country of Denmark lost lots of international export trade because a certain Danish newspaper showed cartoon depictions of the prophet Mohammed.

I hope Twiggy isn't ever seen wearing a seal fur collar or such a thing could totally close down M & S.

Dziekanowski

I've just sent the following message to Landsbanki through their Icesave website.

Hello,

My father has recently retired and has asked me to advise him on the investment of his retirement lump sum of £52,000. I have identified the Icesave account as probably the most appropriate for him, however, I have ethical concerns with regard to investing in an Icelandic company in the light of the recent Icelandic resumption of whaling.

Please can you advise me of your company's position with regard to the whaling issue in order to allow me to advise my father how to invest his money.

I will wait 1 week for a response and, if I haven't heard anything in this time, will be advising him to invest his money elsewhere.

Kind Regards,

Dziekanowski

Not that I expect to actually receive one but if I do get a response I'll post it on here.

What is the next best account to the Icesave account that doesn't have any introductory offers/catches etc? I intend tucking my father's money away in an account before the end of the month.

Dziekanowski

LizEstelle

Please see the thread I've started in 'Green and Ethical' and, if you agree, sign up to boycott the whaling nations.

martyn4764

Dziekanowski wrote:

Please can you advise me of your company's position with regard to the whaling issue

Why on Earth should they have a 'position'?

ginger_nuts

Do you eat cow beef ,lamb, pig ,chicken,turkey or cod in my book there is no difference.
What has whaling got to do with banking

gingercordial

ginger_nuts wrote:

Do you eat cow beef ,lamb, pig ,chicken,turkey or cod in my book there is no difference.

There are lots of cows, lambs, pigs, chickens and turkeys in the world. There are not many whales left. There aren't many cod left either for that matter.

I have no problem with killing animals for food, provided that the animal in question is not endangered. If it's endangered, we shouldn't kill any more of them for our own ends, full stop.

Hence I happily eat beef, chicken etc (also horsemeat, dogmeat etc, I'm not squeamish) and I wear leather. I don't eat whale meat, cod or wear real leopardskin.

What has whaling got to do with banking

Because a large Icelandic financial institution may be able to influence Icelandic government policy.

Cagey

Whaling is a very emotive issue but as has been said we raise & kill all kinds of animals for food. Chickens are apparently hung live on a convayor belt their heads cut off whilst still live. Who do we boycott for that ,every bank in Britain.

Market_Oracle

What about japanese cars, tv's hifis etc.. cos they do whaling ?

Dziekanowski

martyn4764 wrote:

Why on Earth should they have a 'position'?

Because large financial institutions have the power to influence political change and because the directors of the company should ensure that the company behaves in a socially responsible manner.

Rather than asking me whether or not I eat meat, why don't you ask yourselves whether or not you have a social responsibility to ensure that your investment and purchasing decisions influence political change in a positive way wherever they can?

I can't vote in Iceland but I can advise my father where to save his money. If advising him to save with another bank is a legitimate way in which I can make a decision which might add even a small amount to the weight of argument against the willful slaughter of an endangered species, then I am very comfortable with my decision.