Positive and Conscientious Ways To Invest Your Money

Investing your money is about getting a return. That means coming out with more than you went in with. It can, however, be daunting to invest if you’re not familiar with all of the options and strategies. I highly recommend doing some research to help you make a comfortable plan. There are companies like SoFi that specialize in educating novice clients to invest with confidence. This is especially important if you want to invest with businesses that have certain values.

Once you understand the process, you can look for positive and conscientious ways to invest your money that can make you a profit but also help the world. Here are some examples that just may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Sustainable Investments

Sustainable investments are the kinds that can be sustained into the future and don’t do harm to the earth. For example, investing in oil companies is obviously not a sustainable investment. This is because fossil fuels are unsustainable and harm the earth. So, you need to ask yourself what kind of impact the products and businesses you invest in have on the planet. If they have a large and negative impact, think again.

It’s not only about the environment though. The kind of sustainable investment you want to make should depend on your own values and concerns. You might be more concerned with social issues and working conditions. If a company forces staff to work in poor conditions for poor pay, it’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to invest in a company like that. Investing sustainable puts your mind at ease and stops your money from causing further damage in the world. And that can only be a good thing.

Renewable Power Investing

These days, the way we power our homes, businesses and infrastructure is high on the agenda. Governments are looking for ways to cut emissions, or they say they are anyway. And this means that you should also be doing something to turn the tide away from unclean and unsustainable energy. This is something that can be done by investing in green energy generation methods, such as solar power and wind power.

Because the world is beginning to realize that there is no option but to go green, it’s a wise investment, too. It’s best to jump on the bandwagon before it really starts rolling. The green energy market is sure to expand in the years and decades to come. In fact, the expansion of this market is already well underway. So, you should start to look at the most profitable green energy companies out there and start buying stocks and shares. It could be one of the wisest and greenest moves you ever make.

Investing in Medical Research

The medical industry is always pushing ahead to find cures for the illnesses and diseases that plight us all. We all know someone who has been ill and gone through medical challenges. Try to invest in companies that conduct medical research. This research just might save you or a loved one in the future. It may even save a huge number of lives  if their research is successful.

By investing in these kinds of companies you will not only be doing something that could help the world, but it will also offer a return. When their research pays off and new drugs and treatments are developed, revenue grows. If you want to invest, you can find information at Poseida.com/investors/.

Back Positive Businesses and Community Projects

Some businesses are more ethical than others. This has always been true and probably always will be. Some of them think about nothing more than making money, but that’s not always the case. There are always companies out there that are just as focused on making their communities better and more cohesive. Many of these businesses are small, and they’re often looking for new investors like you.

You could also directly back community projects that aim to improve the area in which ordinary people live and work. These kinds of projects vary a great deal. They can be cooperative businesses that aim to share profits equally among the people involved in the community. A cash injection can often help these kinds of projects leap from the drawing board and into reality. So, why not be that person that actually makes something positive happen?

Look at International Social Enterprises

Social and community enterprises don’t just happen outside your front door though. There are all kinds of social enterprises that are running and operating all over the world. Many people prefer to invest in enterprises like this that are being run in some of the most deprived parts of the world. These can help people to improve their day to day lives in a way that nothing else can.

They don’t have to be a charitable organization that you choose to invest in. By investing in businesses that are doing work in poor countries, you can help to boost their growing economies. The more money that gets put into creating sustainable and well-paying jobs in countries where that kind of thing is scarce, the better. There are plenty of opportunities for investments like this. So, it’s definitely something that should be considered.

Invest in Companies that Give to Charity

Sometimes, investing positively can be as simple as investing in the kinds of companies that give to charity. There are many businesses that have direct links to charities. They usually advertise this fact because they want it to reflect positively on the business, so it won’t be hard to find out about. Some of these companies even go as far as giving a percentage of their overall profits to a charitable organisation. You can do some research and find a company that donates to a charity that appeals to you.

Recent research did show that fewer companies from the FTSE 100 are giving to charity than a couple of years ago. But don’t worry; there are still plenty of companies out there that do give to charity. When you invest in companies that donate to charity, you’ll know that your money will be helping a positive cause. It’s surely best invest in this kind of company than one that doesn’t consider giving money to charities at all.

Do Research to Find Out Exactly Where Your Money Goes

Always do research into the company that you’re interested in investing in. That way, you know exactly what you are putting your money towards. You can’t really call yourself a conscientious investor if your money is going towards dodgy things further down the line. There are many investors who refuse to invest in companies that are linked to certain governments or behave in certain ways.

For example, there are companies that operate on occupied land in Palestine that many people have chosen to boycott in recent times. But that’s just one example. It’s always best to be fully informed before you choose to invest in any business. This is the only way to be sure that what you’re doing is positive and ethical for everyone. It might take a bit of extra time, but it’s something that will be more than worthwhile for you.

Give Some of Your Earnings to Charity

If you make lots of money from your investments, you could commit to giving a certain amount of charities. This is something that is easy to do, but it’s certainly a conscientious way to work as an investor. It’s a very selfless and positive thing to do, so it makes a lot of sense if you want to do something good for the world. You could even give some grants to nonprofit organizations to help them grow and do positive work.

When you give money to nonprofit organizations, you shouldn’t expect to see a return. This is a donation that helps them to improve the work they do rather than an investment. It’s a great way to help the nonprofit sector expand and do new things that they wouldn’t have been able to do. You’ll be able to see the effect that your money has on the world, and that’s not something that you can do simply by donating to a charity.

Program-Related Investments

These are similar to charitable grants, but they have one key difference. They are expected to be paid back, meaning they are a real investment. But they still help charitable organisations to do positive things, and that matters a lot if you want to be a conscientious investor. There are certain rules that have to be put in place for an investment to qualify as a program-related investment. So, do your research first.

They are great ways to give a boost to charities and social enterprises. If you want to make money and help a good cause, then a program-related investment might be the ideal kind of investment for you. The rate of return may not be the most impressive, but you can still make a decent sum of many as an investor.

 

*** This post is strictly informational and is not meant to replace the advice of your financial adviser. Women’s Lifelink, its owners, authors, editors, affiliates, vendors, advertisers, contributors do not claim or guarantee that this information will lead to or cause a financial return of any kind.