Sustainability Matters

Sustainable Investment

Ethical and sustainable investing has been around in one guise or another since the 19th century. But it was not until the 1970s that investment funds, used frequently by wealth managers, financial advisers and pension funds, were created with a clear brief to seek profit from sources without causing harm to the world around us.

Over the years, as public interest has grown, and matters of responsible corporate behaviour have become centre stage, the ethical investment options have broadened and evolved becoming more sophisticated. It is now perfectly possible to create portfolios for investors, large and small, individual or corporate entity, with a portfolio of funds which not only screen out contentious businesses, but positively endorse those companies that seek to do good.

From its inception in 2004, PFC Cumbria has been creating and managing portfolios for clients concerned about the environmental practices, social impact and governance issues of big business. We did this long before such issues regularly graced the money section of your weekend paper. Today, a quarter of the funds under our care are managed this way.

We have the experience to know that ethical, sustainable investing ought not to mean a compromise to performance.

A model of the landrover donated to Sightsavers in Africa

Walking the walk

Ron and Peter in tumbuktu donating a Landrover Discovery to Sightsavers

At PFC these are issues which matter to our Directors and our employees. We’ve long tried to live out our own values in our business practices. As a consequence, we introduced paperless information management at outset. Our office uses sustainably sourced energy. Waste minimisation and recycling has long been embedded in our working habits. Finally, by using the WWF’s Gold Standard Offset Scheme, and the Woodland Trust, we have achieved 100% carbon negative status.

Despite our rural base, use of sustainable transport is actively encouraged for travel during work, and also the commute where forward funding is offered for season passes. Electric vehicles have been adopted where other means aren’t available. Use of the cycle to work scheme is commonplace and we have facilities that make cycling, walking or running to work convenient.

To us, none of this is radical, it’s just plain common sense.

In 2009 Directors Peter Taylor & Rob Udale drove a Land Rover Discovery to Timbuktu in Mali and donated it to the Charity Sightsavers to be used in their outreach programme protecting remote villages from infection with river blindness. This disease is spread by blackfly near streams and rivers and can be treated for as little as 11p per annum per person. Rob and Peter continue to sponsor two villages preventing river blindness through the use of mass drug administration. Sponsorship and donations of equipment from other local businesses meant that £20,000 was donated to the charity in Africa.

PFC Cumbria – investing sustainably since 2004.