Eurosif, the European Social Investment Forum, has finalised the transparency guidelines for the retail SRI financial sector to maintain and increase consumer confidence in this high growth area. The pan-European effort is the result of a multi-stakeholder consultation that incorporated the views of the financial services community, research groups, NGOs, trade unions and others.
Eurosif executive director, Matt Christensen says, "The Eurosif retail guidelines are an innovative means for asset managers to show interested investors how they create and manage an SRI fund. The Dutch SIF, VBDO, did an excellent job in starting this effort in 2002 and Eurosif has now broadened it to include all of Europe. The guidelines should not only help with the continuing professionalisation of the SRI sector, but also serve as a model for the financial community in Europe and abroad." Early adopters who have tested the guidelines and agreed to become signatories include: ABN AMRO, ASN, Banca Etica, CIS, F&C, Hendersons, ING, Insight, Jupiter, Morley, Orange Sense, Postbank, Robeco, SNS, Standard Life and Triodos.
