Ethical Screening Declares a Climate Emergency
4 October 2019
Climate Emergency Declaration:
For more than 20 years Ethical Screening has been providing
research to individuals and institutions to enable their investments to make
more positive and sustainable impacts on people and our planet. Since the
1990's we have discussed global warming, read report after report on climate
change and espoused the power of finance to shift the dial towards sustainable
solutions. In 2015, we were one of the first investment screening providers to
offer a fossil fuel divestment tool, giving clients the ability to screen out
different levels of involvement in the exploration, extraction, production and
use of fossil fuels. In 2018, we created our Positive Themes and UN SDG tools,
enabling investment in the solutions to climate breakdown. It is clear that the
shift required has not happened soon enough, and now in 2019, we stand at a
turning point for humanity.
Ethical Screening has a reputation for being independent and
neutral on the issues we research; however, climate change is unlike all other
issues we cover. Climate breakdown threatens economic systems, increases the
likelihood of human rights abuses through conflict and environmental disasters
and will make many parts of the world uninhabitable for humans and wildlife.
There is nothing controversial in accepting climate science, there is no
ethical debate on addressing climate change, even if there is a wider
conversation needed about how we ensure a fair and just transition.
Based on the science, it would be a breach of our duty as
directors and employees of the company and as custodians of our stakeholders’
interests to continue as though there is not a Climate Emergency. We therefore declare
a Climate Emergency and commit to doing all we can to address it within our
spheres of influence.
As a business we have sourced renewable energy for some
time, ensuring other businesses based in our rented building have also had
access to 100% clean energy. We spoke with the building management during
refurbishment to ensure solar PV was added to the roof here at Formal House and
we have a range of other policies including supporting cycling to work and
recycling on site. We use thoroughly researched carbon offsetting and
reforestation schemes in order to mitigate the impacts of unavoidable business
travel. However, we acknowledge that our own internal efforts towards low
carbon living and working are dwarfed by the impact we have been able to have
with investment and fund managers who have used our tools to create lower
carbon and solution-supporting portfolios. In declaring a Climate Emergency, we
acknowledge that we must continue to talk about climate breakdown with our
clients and potential clients and further enable them not only to avoid climate
damaging industries but also to support net-positive and regenerative
activities using our Positive Themes and UN SDG tools.
We support our staff who wish to attend demonstrations and
protest government and industry inaction, where this is lawful and peaceful
protest. Working on the issues around climate destruction can be stressful and
emotionally difficult; we support voluntary work and enable staff to choose
charities each year for donations to causes they believe in, which have in the
past included climate focused organisations.
We must seek to maximise the interests of all stakeholders -
shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers and our wider community - in the
context of a total commitment to doing what is required by the Climate
Emergency.
Contact us for more information about us and our screening
tools or visit our website to find out more: www.ethicalscreening.co.uk
◀ Back to news