Socially Responsible Investing:
Profile of an Analyst
OCT 23, 2000

Have you ever left a business upset about how they conducted their affairs, and, swearing under your breath, vowing never to return? Do you wish, as a gay man or lesbian, that you could influence companies with your investments, but feel a few thousand dollars would be insignificant to make an impact? Then socially responsible investing, or SRI, is probably something you should investigate further. The basic premise behind SRI is that you, as the investor, can make a large company stand up and take notice.

There are many SRI mutual funds that help small investors stand up together, making a larger wave – especially when you consider that there is now well over $2 trillion dollars invested in SRI funds worldwide (according to the nonprofit Social Investment Forum).

But how do these mutual funds decide which companies are worthy of the group investment? Do they really make a difference? And how do they specifically impact gay and lesbian issues? (see "Social Investing: Making Money or Making a Statement?," July 31).

gfn.com talked to Nikki Daruwala, a social screener of mutual funds for the Calvert Group about her job, and how she makes a difference on a daily basis.