Investments in political parties under scrutiny

Investing in entities that will use the money ethically can be a challenge for any investor.

08:11 11 July 2013

Investments do not always turn out as planned, which is something anyone who has ever invested already knows. There is usually a certain risk involved regardless of the investment, though there are higher and lower risks.

Recently, political parties have been the center of a bit of attention reportedly for the types of contributions they supposedly accepted for funding in the past.

Sadly, the chances of investing in businesses that might be less than reputable can happen to us all. If you have someone manage your portfolio, they most likely will just find you companies that have proven positive results for the past years.

If you have concerns about the ethics of the companies you are investing in, you will probably need to do a little research.

• Statement—review the statement you receive about your investments. If your statement does not show the names of the companies you are investing in, consult with the manager of your portfolio to get the details.

 

• Online—take the company information and do a little bit of searching on the internet. You might find recent news articles, awards, or other information on investments while you are researching.

 

• Keep an eye out—once you know the companies that you are investing in, keep an eye out for any news about them. You might be able to anticipate certain trends in your earnings based upon new information, technological advances, or poor press.

 

• Investment manager—your investment manager may know about the reputation of the companies, but they may not be able to do much research for you. They should be more than willing to inform you for the companies that you have investments with.

 

• Special investing—there are certain entities that find out which businesses are dedicated to such ideals as sustainable growth, and they can help you choose investments that also help better the environment.