Investing Tutorials
A good place to start understanding stock valuations: Online Investor tutorials demonstrate the basics of stock market investing with clear summaries and animated charts and graphs. For example, there is a tutorial on the benchmark ratios of stock valuation, such as price to equity, price to sales, and return on equity. There is a separate tutorial explaining in greater detail return on equity, another tutorial on the Federal Reserve, and more. There are references and links to online sources of further information.
Links to Socially Responsible Investing Sites
Co-op America
Non-profit organization that provides information and news about socially responsible investing, community investing, predatory lending, and personal finance, as well as the environment, conservation, sweatshops, products and businesses. A link to Responsible Shopper allows you to compare many companies and industries. Responsible Shopper also notes things companies have been criticised and praised for, such as environmental practices, sweatshop labor, community and labor relations, diversity in the workforce, and charitable contributions.
Cruelty-Free Investing
Easy-to-read, concise, but very informative and persuasive presentation by Nancy Boardman on investing in companies that do not harm animals. Names Rocky Mountain Humane Investment Corporation, Cruelty Free Value Fund, and Humane Equity Fund as examples of cruelty-free mutual funds.
Ethical Investment Research Service (also mortgages, insurance, banks, building projects).
Based in London, set up by churches and charities. Researches many issues of concern to socially responsible investors, including animal testing, fur, and intensive farming. Does not provide financial advice, but provides list of financial advisers with experience in ethical financial planning. Also provides information on types of investments, funds, and banking that conform to Islamic law.
Good Money Home Page
Large site with many pages on ethical investing, consuming, and businesses. Information on social, environmental, and animal welfare issues.
iAbolish: Sudan Divestment Campaigns
Slavery is alive and well in the new millenium. iABOLISH shows the link between oil companies, mutual funds, and slavery in civil-war-torn Sudan.
SocialFunds.com
Large site providing information, tools, and news for socially responsible investors. There are sections on mutual funds, community investing, and financial services (including brokers, financial planners, and money managers) On the financial services pages, there are search tools to find brokers and financial planners near you, and links to order a free Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Mutual Funds Guide.
Social Investment Forum
A project of Co-op America. Overviews of socially responsible mutual funds, shareholder activism, extent and performance of socially responsible investments, types of concerns socially responsible investors have. Links to mutual funds charts that show which of twelve screens various funds use. Animal testing is one of the screens, as are human rights and environment, but use of animal ingredients is not.
Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Socially Responsible Investing (SRI)
Some of the things the left frame links to are news and events; general information about the goals, possibilities, and methods of socially responsible investing; FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions); community investing; and an excellent list of SRI resources. An Activism for Congregations page provides information on how communities of faith can develop investment programs that support social justice. Much of this information would be useful for all faiths and organizations concerned with social justice.