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Green Investment Advisor

An investment advisor is someone who takes his or her extensive knowledge of the stock market and financial arenas and tells others what stocks are worth investing for their trading needs and which should be passed on as too risky for the investment amount.

An advisor will not make the final decisions for the investor; only offer strong cautions or recommendations. A green investment adviser is one who takes those cautions and recommendations just a step further by suggesting only the companies that engage in ecologically aware practices or those that are more socially responsible. However, the level of this social responsibility may vary among investment firms and from company to company.

Light Green Advisors (LGA) suggests products such as mutual funds that include the Eco Index and the Environmental Leadership Trust. The former is a "broadly diversified, passively managed index based on the Standard and Poor's 500 with 320 companies that have average or above average environmental performance from all industry groups except tobacco. The latter comprises 30 S&P stocks in most industry groups which many include firms that face environmental challenges but are managing their risk." (Social funds)

What Skills Do I Need?

Being an experienced financial or investment advisor is a good way to start, as is being well versed in green practices. Keeping abreast of all economic, environmental and political news is important as well.

What Should I Avoid?

You are acting in the role of advisor so you should avoid preaching to your clients. While it is good to feel passionately about something, it is not good if you have alienated most of your clients with overzealous outbursts against a company, without careful analysis.

What is the Market Size or Growth Potential?

This field is virtually unlimited, especially as more and more people lose their investment opportunities at work but still want an investment fund for their retirement. Even more important is the green aspect as more people become increasingly socially and environmentally aware and demand this same consciousness from the companies with which they do business with.

Who are the Competitors?

Other investment firms are going to be the most obvious competition that you will face. However, you will have to make sure that are not only knowledgeable in ecology, but customer service as well.

What are the Risks?

Every investor will make a bad investment every now and then and will immediately blame his or her advisor. No matter how carefully the research has been done, and how the financial projections have gone, there are always unforeseen events that may lose money for the investor. The very nature of the market is one of galloping unpredictability.

References: http://www.socialfunds.com/news

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