UK investors continue to rate the importance of ethical investment, finds Friends Provident.

Research suggests that 74 per cent of investors agree it is important that companies take social, ethical and environmental issues seriously.

Furthermore, 54 per cent think ethical investing is far more important than it was 25 years ago when the UK was emerging from a recession.

Looking back 25 years there was civil unrest in the UK with the miners' strike erupting in March and lasting a whole year.

In 1984, Friends Provident was the first company in the UK to offer retail ethical investment when it launched the Stewardship fund range, currently managed by its investment mangement subsidiary F&C Asset Management, whereby people were given the option to invest 'with a conscience' and put their money into socially responsible hands. 

Trevor Matthews, chief executive officer at Friends Provident, says, ‘Without a doubt, ethical issues are on Brits' minds today more than ever. Many people take an ethical approach to their finances by avoiding dealing with companies that are not socially responsible. We are seeing this trend continue into people's investing habits, with over half prepared to accept a lower return on their investments if it means investing in companies that are socially responsible. 

‘It's no longer just about individuals. The media and the corporate world have contributed to the huge awareness campaign, and celebrity endorsement has widened this further.  People are now investing with care, and realising that you don't have to compromise your principles to make a profit.’