Triodos Bank UK Recognised as Ethical ‘Best Buy’ for Investment Funds and Stocks & Shares ISAs

Triodos Bank UK has been awarded ‘Best Buy’ status by Ethical Consumer magazine for its investment funds and Stocks & Shares and Innovative Finance ISAs, based on criteria that assessed sustainability as well as company ethos, executive pay, tax conduct, transparency and whether funds have holdings in harmful sectors such as weapons or illegal occupations.

The Triodos Global Equities Impact Fund – one of four funds offered by Triodos Bank UK – scored 100/100 in the fund ranking system, being the only investment fund in the guide to receive a full score, and only the second product out of hundreds of rated products from Ethical Consumer that has a score of 100. The Triodos Pioneer Impact Fund also received a very high score of 96/100. 

Ethical Consumer remarked that Triodos “remains the gold standard in ethical finance”, being uniquely foundation-owned to safeguard its social mission. Triodos was highlighted for exclusively offering sustainable financial products, maintaining a low CEO-to median pay ratio, and existing to serve its customers, not just shareholders.

Ethical Consumer ranked 22 green and ethical investment funds, finding that Triodos had strong ethical policies that apply to all funds, a range of robust exclusions and sector-leading transparency.

Stocks & Shares and Innovative Finance ISAs

Triodos was also ranked as Best Buy for its Stocks & Shares and Innovative Finance ISAs, both with a perfect score of 100/100. 

Triodos was the only company to receive a good rating overall for its Stocks & Shares ISA, leading the scoreboard by 48 points, and the only company to fully exclude fossil fuels from its investments. Triodos was highlighted for its “exemplary transparency”, and for only investing in sustainable companies and projects screened through a detailed ethical investment policy. 

Triodos’s Innovative Finance ISA also scored 100% and was ranked a Best Buy, which enables investors to crowdfund specific organisations that deliver positive impact.

Roger Hattam, director of retail banking at Triodos Bank UK, said: “We’re proud to be recognised as the sector-leading Best Buy for our investment funds against a strict and comprehensive methodology. Triodos’s perfect scores reflect our dedication to transparency, human rights and climate action.

“Now, we need other financial providers to follow suit. More than ever, the financial sector needs to show commitment to a fair and sustainable future, enabling investors to align their money with their values.”

Ethical Consumer editor, Rob Harrison, said:  “The finance sectors’ preference for choosing financial return over ethics at almost every turn is contributing to many of the crises around us. However, as their customers, we have some influence on the decisions that these investors make. For ethical investors, the values marketed in a fund should be matched by the behaviour of the company behind it. Our finance guides are really popular with our readers, in particular our Stocks & Shares ISAs ratings. Hopefully our research prompts a few more people to carefully consider their investment choices.“

Earlier this year, Triodos was also awarded ‘Best Buy’ status by Ethical Consumer magazine for its personal current account and savings accounts, leading the personal current account scoreboard by over 20 points.