Author Archive

Ethical fund sales continue to rise

Sales of ethical funds are at the highest level since the start of the credit crunch, according to new figures published this week. Statistics from the Investment Management Association (IMA) show total ethical investments of £98 million for the second quarter of 2010, an increased of £106 million compared to the -£8 million recorded for [...]

FSA approves Coventry Building Society merger

The FSA has approved a proposed merger between Coventry Building Society and Stroud & Swindon Building Society. Under the merger the two financial providers will come together from the start of September. The newly formed organisation will be called Coventry Building Society, and will be based in the Midlands. The merger was first announced in [...]

Kiwi parliament votes down ethical investment bill

New Zealand’s government has been criticised for voting down a bill that would have seen state money invested ethically. New Zealand MP’s voted 63 votes to 58 against the Ethical Investment Bill, which would have required Crown Financial Institutes to invest their money ethically. Robert Howell, chief executive of New Zealand’s Council for Socially Responsible [...]

Leeds launches 2.55% instant access saver

Leeds Building Society has launched a new instant access account paying interest at 2.55%. The headline rate includes a 0.5% bonus until August 2011. The account, known as the London Instant Access Account, is only available through the building society’s London branch. Savers can open the account with a minimum investment of £100, and are [...]

Social enterprise creates jobs for autistic people

A new social enterprise to help people with autism find jobs has launched in Scotland. Specialisterne Scotland is set to recruit a dozen trainees with autism over the next six months. Those chosen for the programme will undertake four months training before being given jobs as software testers for major Scottish companies. These are jobs [...]