Resources Toolbox

Helpful resources

How to find an advisor that can help

The vast majority of financial advisers know fairly little about sustainable, responsible or impact investing, so Ethiquette has created a How-to guide that we call Preparing a meeting with your financial adviser.

Directory of financial advisors

Ethiquette recommends working with your current investment adviser and this website to open new advisers to responsible investment. The RIA is the industry association in Canada, and they publish their adviser members in the Directory of responsible investment association (RIA) advisor members for your province. These professionals have enough of an interest in RI to pay an annual membership fee to the RIA, and will have differing knowledge about responsible investment.  For some of the listed advis0rs, levels of experience with RI are indicated as are professional licences and authorizations. Some are certified Responsible Investment Advisers (RIAC) while others may be certified Responsible Investment Professionals (RIPC) Both are designations of the Responsible Investment Association (RIA).

Listing of socially responsible investment indices

Checklist – Meeting with a financial advisor

(Copy forthcoming)

Studies and analyses

Financial performance

  • The Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme (2007). “Demystifying Responsible Investment Performance: A review of key academic and broker research on ESG factors”, Finance Initiative and Mercer.
  • Mercer (2009) “Shedding Light on Responsible Investment: Approaches, Returns and Impacts“
  • GMI Ratings (2011) “Ten Things to Know About Responsible Investment and Performance“
  • DB Climate Change Advisors (2012) “Sustainable Investing: Establishing Long-Term Value and Performance“ www.fsinsight.org

Fiduciary matters

  • The Asset Management Working Group of the United Nations Environment Programme (2009). « Fiduciary Responsibility: Legal and practical aspects of integrating environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment”, Finance Initiative.

RI regulations

(Copy forthcoming)

Canadian Securities Administrators

I am in search of socially responsible investment (SRI) products

To locate SRI products in Canada, consult these documents:

Letter of request to your financial institution

Download the letter (.docx)

Note: Data highlighted in blue to be modified based on your individual circumstances.

Options: Choose one or other of the options below to finalize your letter. You are, of course, free to add your own personal arguments.

Your name and surname
Postal address
Town/City, Date

Attention: Branch Manager
Branch name
Postal address

RE: Request with respect to responsible investment offering of xxx Bank.

Dear Ms/Mr xxx,

Following my meeting on xxx (date) with Ms/Mr xxx, a financial adviser at your branch, I wish to convey to you my dissatisfaction and my deep disappointment.

I am interested in investing funds in responsible instruments, notably products which satisfy various social and environmental responsibility criteria. However, your adviser, Ms/Ms xxx was unable to offer me even one product consistent with my beliefs and expectations.

[Option 1]
Like many individual investors in Canada, I consider responsible investment as a means of reconciling my long term financial goals with my personal values of honouring human rights, respecting the environment, demanding corporate transparency and battling corruption.

[Option 2]
Like many individual investors in Canada, I consider responsible investment and sustainable development imperative for ensuring community sustainability over time while providing for the promise of enhanced quality of life going forward.

[Option 3]
Like many individual investors in Canada, I consider responsible investment as a means of more properly managing the long term risks associated with my financial investments.

I urge you to research responsible investment products currently available on the market. You may wish to consult the Ethiquette.ca website and develop a responsible investment product in short order which would meet the needs of ever growing numbers of Canadian investors.

Kindly advise me at your earliest convenience of action you intend to take in this regard,

[Option 1]: failing which I shall take my business to another financial institution and apprise family and friends of the extent of my dissatisfaction.

[Option 2]: failing which I shall seek out an intermediary better poised to invest funds on my behalf.

[Option 3]: failing which I shall apprise family and friends of the extent of my dissatisfaction.

Thanking you for your immediate attention to this matter, I remain, Respectfully yours,

Your signature
Your name and surname