The amount of money invested in the UK’s green and ethical retail funds has reached a record £11.3 billion, according to new figures released by EIRIS.

The sustainable investment research company said the latest figure represents over 750,000 investors in green and ethical funds, up from around 250,000 investors in 2001, when £4 billion was ethically invested in the UK.

Statistics from the Investment Management Association also show that gross retail sales into UK Ethical funds rose 25 per cent in the second quarter of 2011, compared to the same period a year earlier.

EIRIS surveyed 1,030 adults for its latest Ipsos Mori national consumer survey, and found that 38 per cent with a financial product or service were interested in green or ethical financial products.

Of those who expressed an interest, 90 per cent said they would be likely to switch to a different provider if it offered green or ethical investment products.  

Mark Robertson, head of communications at EIRIS and editor of YourEthicalMoney.org, commented, ‘We’ve seen a huge increase in the amount of money being invested ethically and this has gone hand in hand with the interest in ethical consumerism in general.’

He added, ‘Since the credit crunch people are better informed about the impacts that their spending and investments can have, both positive and negative, and more of us are turning to ethical investment which takes a longer term approach.’