The Financial Performance of a Socially Responsible Investment Over Time and a Possible Link with Corporate Social Responsibility |
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Authors: | Greig A Mill |
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Institution: | (1) Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, The Gateway, LE1 9BH, Leicester, UK |
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Abstract: | This paper empirically examines the financial performance of a UK unit trust that was initially “conventional” and later adopted
socially responsible investment (SRI) principles (ethical investment principles). Comparison is made with three similar conventional
funds whose investment objectives remained unchanged. Analysis techniques employed in previous studies find similar results:
mean risk-adjusted performance is unchanged by the switch to SRI, with no evidence of over-or under-performance relative to
the benchmark market index by any of the four funds. More interestingly, changes in variability of returns over time are also
modelled using generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity models, not previously applied to SRI funds so far
as is known. Results show a temporary increase in variability of returns, followed by a return to previous levels after around
4 years. Evidence shows the increased variability to be associated with the adoption of SRI rather than with a change in fund
management. Possible explanations for the subsequent reduction in variability include the spread of corporate social responsibility
activities by firms and learning by fund managers. In addition to reporting on a previously unobserved phenomenon, this paper
raises questions for further research. |
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Keywords: | corporate social performance corporate social responsibility ethical investment learning by doing mutual funds socially responsible investment |
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