One in four online sharedealers (26 per cent) take ethical concerns into account when making their buying and selling decisions, new research has revealed.

Research by Alliance Trust Savings, an online sharedealing firm, found that issues over global warming, human rights and the environment are all influencing investment decisions.

The survey of 1,000 online investment dealers found that 51 per cent regard financial returns as their sole concern, but a significant 26 per cent stated they balance their wish to make money with their ethical views on which companies to back and which to avoid.

“Growing support for socially responsible behaviour has led many companies to reassess their impact on the world around them, and there are now many more options available for investors who would like to apply their ethical views to their investments,” said Claudia Philips, managing director of Investment Dealing at Alliance Trust Savings.

“These range from direct equity investment and unit trusts to Isas and specific cause-based investments supporting certain projects or schemes.”

According to the Ethical Investment Association the top three rated ethical companies are AstraZeneca UK, Bayer Germany and Degussa Germany.

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