Under the influence of my grandmother and father I've been investing in stocks for years and have, little by little, built up a small portfolio. This portfolio had grown a little and I was feeling pretty pleased with myself - until I took a closer look at where my money was: mining and cigarette companies with a bit of fertilizer thrown in for good measure. I have been thinking abstractly about this issue for awhile but the presentations at the Amnesty International Business and Human Rights Conference this past Saturday have finally pushed me towards action. In trying to live a greener, cleaner lifestyle a more Socially Responsible Investment portfolio is as important, if not more so, than my recycling habits.

So with RRSP season nearing an end I have been looking at the recommendations made by Jantzi Research. Janzi is an independent investment research firm that evaluates and monitors the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of global securities. I particularly like that their "Best of Sector" recommendations. This system, called the Jantzi Social Index - which ranks companies based on their performance in certain areas including: aboriginal relations; community involvement; corporate governance; employee relations; environment; and human rights - isn't perfect because ultimately many of these companies still have a long way to go but it is a great first step. By championing the leaders and encouraging them to do better it demands that all of the companies within that sector to do better as well. My investing terminology needs to be improved but until then check out Jantzi - they explain the philosophy of Socially Responsible Investing and ESG on their website.