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Today more than ever, Australians are asking where their money is invested and whether these investments will negatively impact our physical world. It’s not just environmental concerns either. When it comes to making investment decisions, social and governance factors are also being called into question.

How we practice socially responsible investing

At VISSF, we understand where we invest your money matters. We also know that profit can be balanced with purpose. Socially responsible investing is founded on an understanding that investing can be rewarding for both the investor and the community. This means that every decision made when selecting, buying, holding and selling investments is carefully weighed against a wider set of environmental, social and governance issues.

We believe that investing in companies that positively contribute to the community and the environment leads to more sustainable markets and better outcomes for societies. More importantly, it also acts as a catalyst for social change as businesses alter their practices to attract investors.

Measuring environmental factors

We assess every company we invest in to determine how they impact the environment - positively or negatively. This might include how good they are with water management or energy use, whether they are polluting or protecting, or their treatment of animals.

Understanding social implications

We apply social criteria to examine how an organisation manages relationships with its people, suppliers, customers and the community. We may also look into other important social factors such as diversity, human rights and consumer protection.

Unearthing responsible governance

Good governance is also essential for generating strong financial outcomes for members. After all, if a company takes a sustainable approach to business management, they are far more likely to perform better over the long term. We put a company’s leadership and management, executive compensation, internal controls, and shareholder rights under the microscope, only investing in companies that meet our criteria.