To Travis, From Travis

Some research notes on the Social Investing thing.

+SRI, or socially responsible investing is based on the idea that the people own the economy and all the companies in it, so why not simply force it to act in our best intrests?

+Pioneers include Amy Domini, the founder and CEO of Domini Social Investments.

+Paul Hawken blasted the SRI community last year in a gnarly report.

+Social Investment Forum issued a response here to Hawken's report.

+the Forum also publishes a trend report here

+The SEC recently required that mutual fund companies disclose their proxy voting guidelines in 2003 and records of all voting in 2004. The SRI has compiled them here, noting that 5 potentially suppor, 2 vote case by case, 1 abstain but potecntially support reporting proposals, 4 abstain altogether, 2 follow managment, 3 omit references, and 5 will oppose (Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, MFS Investments, Banc One.

+The SEC ruling is right here.

+Check out this one. Marrill Lynch filed this document with the SEC, where they actually argue that they shouldn't be forced to disclose their proxy votes to shareholders. They say it would "Politicize Proxy Voting and Increase Conflicts of Interest". Gosh, our shareholders might be upset if they find out we voted to can their jobs and pollute their rivers. Duh.

+Here's an article the teacher would like, "Activist Funds Make Waves" from Business Week online. And, here was their article on Hawken's blast