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Press

Brownback pulls his family’s money out of Sudan:
He widens his call for divestment from funds that do business with genocidal government.
By Matt Stearns, The Star’s Washington Correspondent
Posted on November 29, 2006

WASHINGTON | Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas will put hundreds of thousands of his family’s dollars where his mouth is when it comes to divestment from Sudan.

Brownback, a Republican who is contemplating a 2008 presidential bid, wrote last week to 44 state governors urging them to divest from state pension funds investments in companies that do business with Sudan, whose government is sponsoring genocide in the country’s Darfur region. Six other states already have done so.

Individuals, as well as institutional investors controlling billions of dollars, should also divest, Brownback said. His family has directed its brokers to divest all family holdings related to Sudan, he said.

“Each one of us can make a difference in Darfur, and it’s important that we as individuals do everything we can while calling on the rest of the world to do their part, especially when so many lives are at stake,” Brownback said.

An estimated 400,000 have been killed in Darfur, and 2.2 million more displaced, since 2003.

The family began divesting their holdings earlier this month, when Brownback became interested in divestment as a tool to pressure the Khartoum regime, said Brian Hart, a spokesman for Brownback. more >>

Making Money Greener
By Zack Pelta-Heller, AlterNet
Posted on December 1, 2005, Printed on February 1, 2006

If you own stocks, especially shares of a mutual fund, it's time to take a closer look at your investments.

For example, shareholders in Fidelity Magellan -- one of the largest stock funds in the world -- own shares of General Electric, Citigroup, Exxon Mobil, and a slew of other companies that have appalling stances on human rights, labor, and the environment, not to mention ties with terrorism. It's hardly the place for progressives to sock away money for retirement.

But that's the bind with mutual funds: they make it easy to own stock, but harder to invest wisely.

Fortunately, a viable investment alternative already exists. Socially responsible investing (SRI) offers progressives the opportunity to harmonize financial interests with their own personal values. SRI firms like Calvert and Domini act on shareholders' behalf to advocate responsible corporate practices. And the budding Bay Area firm Invested Interests recently took that idea a step further by launching a free screening tool that allows potential investors to pick and choose which social and ethical values to look for. Now, for the first time, individuals can set their own social and environmentally-conscious criteria for investments. more >>





Social Investing
Business Ethics Magazine
January 2006

Invested Interests provides socially responsible investing (SRI) and personal finance news and tools. If you would like to work with a professional, Invested Interests returns 10% of their profits to the community. They have been awarded the Macromedia Site of the Day for August 23, 2005. Their mutual fund database allows a user to screen an investment with one of 16 social screens. Invested Interests is the online leader in socially responsible investing.

Press Releases

Groups Launch Sudan Mutual Fund Screening Tool - Approx. 57 Million U.S. Households Own Mutual Funds - Online tool allows individuals to screen their mutual fund for involvement in Sudan

Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 24, 2006 – The Sudan Divestment Task Force and Invested Interests have created the first online tool allowing individuals to screen their mutual funds for investments in companies supporting the Sudanese government. Initiated and perpetuated by the Khartoum regime, the first genocide of the 21st century, rages into its fourth year in the country’s vast Darfur region. Although many companies operating in Sudan contribute positively to the underprivileged by building vital economic infrastructure, numerous Sudan experts agree that certain “worst offending” companies are clearly contributing to Sudan’s capacity to carry out genocide while imparting little or no benefit to Sudan’s citizens. By targeting this select set of “worst offending” companies investors can remain consistent with principles of socially responsible investing while minimizing or eliminating unintended harms to Sudanese civilians. more >>

Invested Interests.com First Advisor to Offer Sudan/Darfur Investment Screen Information to Website Visitors and Clients

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May, 2006 – Invested Interests.com announces that it is the first U.S. investment advisor to offer Sudan/Darfur investment screens to website visitors and clients. This data allows investors to screen their current investments, using complimentary tools at Invested Interests.com, for involvement in this region. This is the first time individual investors in the United States have had direct access to this screening information.

Invested Interests.com is an online investment advisor that specializes in socially responsible investing for individuals, non-profit and for-profit organizations. It is based in San Francisco, CA and has clients throughout the United States and Europe. Invested Interests.com offers complimentary tools on its website that allow visitors to screen and monitor their investments for a variety of social issues in addition to the new Sudan screen. more >>

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