Blogosphere survey says RI has yet to tap financial crisis potential

The global financial crisis has created a “new context” for responsible investment, although the sector has not yet tapped into its potential, according to a report commissioned by the Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) and the Responsible Investment Academy, a new Australian government supported initiative. The study used web technology to trawl social networking sites to gauge the attractiveness of responsible investing in the “blogosphere”. It concludes that the credit crunch has been beneficial for responsible investment, but that it needs to be actively promoted in a clear and transparent manner and be able demonstrate its ability to deliver sustainable outcomes. The study claims to be the world’s first audit of how responsible investment is discussed by the millions of consumers who converse every day in onlinecommunities, discussion boards, blogs and social networks. Its objective was to provide qualitative and quantitative data to show how different terms are perceived such as cleantech, ESG, ethical investment, green investment, responsible investment, SRI and sustainability. The study explored the level of support for responsible investment and consumer motivation to invest responsibly. The three terms attracting the most positive association were: responsible investment (74%), cleantech (69%) and sustainable investment (62%). The term “ethical investment” attracted cynicism, because, the report said, the concept of “ethical” can vary significantly between individuals and lacks clarity. RIAA said the research – conducted by new media agency Our Religion – should help with communications and marketing strategies, product innovation and client services.
Link to report