Green investing is a relatively new concept. We all want to try and make better decisions to reduce our impact on the environment. Sometimes, it can be a simple act like avoiding plastic straws. Other times, it can be a little bit harder to figure out the least harmful decision to make.
This is especially true when it comes to our finances and investing. Thankfully, there is a new app to help you check the carbon footprint of your investments, helping you build a greener portfolio.
What is green investing?
Green investing is slightly different to other forms of ethical investing.
ESG investing and socially responsible investing (SRI) tend to focus on the big picture. Sometimes this can be unrelated to the environment and more to do with things like business practices.
A green investing approach focuses more on the environment. However, researching the carbon footprint of each of your investments would be a lot of work.
The good news is that there’s a new app on the scene to crunch the numbers and do the work for you.
What is this magical green app?
Launching soon and free to use, Sugi lets you easily check how green your investments are.
All you do is pop in your investments or funds and it gives you a breakdown of the annual carbon impact. You can also see industry averages and check how your picks compare to similar investments in the market. This means that you can easily keep an eye on how green your selections are.
Even better, you can link it up with your portfolio to automatically scan things.
Josh Gregory, Founder and CEO of Sugi explains: “While Covid has accelerated awareness and demand for green investing, it’s hard for retail investors to take action. Research shows that over 75% of UK investors want their investments to have a positive impact; however, only a small proportion of people actually follow through with it.
“The reasons for this vary. Sustainable investing is full of jargon and investors are rightly concerned about greenwashing. Another problem is ESG ratings: they’re meant to simplify complex issues but are themselves very confusing – even for experienced retail investors. All of this ultimately stops more people getting involved.
“By providing users with simple, objective data, Sugi aims to make green investing easier, understandable and more accessible for everyone.”
How do I get started with green investing?
If you are a new investor, completely fresh to the market, you should check out our complete guide to online share dealing.
You’ll need to have a share dealing account set up somewhere before you can link up to an app like this.
Everyone has their own idea about what is green enough for them. These days, there are a lot more options for you to choose investments that match your moral views.
Creating your own investing strategy is something that will give you greater control. It can also allow you to make your investments as green as the sky is blue if you would like them to be!