009. Value of engagement for your clients - Part 2 of 3 for EIW2022

In this episode, Alexandra Brown speaks with four advisers who are experts in providing ethical investment advice, as they explain the value of engagement for their clients. Advisers give their clients a voice with fund managers, and are the integral link between product providers and companies their clients invest in. We ask each adviser the following questions: What do you feel is the value of engagement for your clients? In what ways do you, as an ethical adviser, engage with product providers? Do you help your clients with shareholder advocacy? If so, how? This is episode two of a three-part series for Ethical Investment Week 2022. Ethical Investment Week is coordinated by the Ethical Advisers’ Co-op, a group of leading advisers across Australia and New Zealand who specialise in advice that aligns client values with ethical and responsible investments. This year, Ethical Investment Week is themed You and Your Ethical Adviser. Our guests in this episode are specialist ethical investment advisers and members of the Ethical Advisers’ Co-op: Karen McLeod | Certified Ethical Investment Adviser - Ethical Investment Advisers Adam Carey | Financial Adviser - Ethical Investment Services Dr Rodger Spiller | Managing Director and Financial Adviser - Money Matters Kathryn Fitch-Daniels | Certified Financial Planner - Ethinvest There are many examples of advisers leading the way in engagement throughout this episode. Clients appreciate having an adviser that speaks on their behalf, one who cares about some of the same issues, and is willing to participate in meaningful engagement with product providers. Fund managers generally appreciate the value advisers provide in engaging with them; they get to understand what clients are looking for without having to connect with each investor. Clients get improved products that match more closely with their values, and advisers can present personalised advice and recommend products that truly align with the issues they want to support or avoid. It’s a win-win situation. As Dr Rodger Spiller highlights, "Engagement is a key strategy to bring about significant change. Clients look to us to add value, and demonstrate that value is being added through the funds that we're recommending, reporting back to them on engagement activities and the outcomes, and the impact. So that they can see that their money is really making a difference, that their voice is being represented." The Ethical Advisers' Co-op Leaf Ratings are mentioned in this episode. The Co-op has developed these fund ratings to assist with the ethical and sustainability differentiation of investments and superannuation. You can find out more here: https://www.leafratings.org/ Stay tuned for episode three in the series, where we chat about the extra value that specialist ethical investment advisers deliver to their clients. ______________________________________________________ This episode is brought to you by the Ethical Advice Accelerator, the number one program for Australian financial advisers ready to up-level their knowledge and skills in ESG, sustainability, and ethical investment advice. Ethical investment options are becoming non-negotiable in financial advice, and advisers who specialise in this are in high-demand; this program is designed to equip you with the skills and toolkit you need to add this to your services quickly. The Accelerator is 100% adviser-focused, and brings everything you need in one spot, making it the most effective and time-efficient way to become a sought-after leader in ethical investment advice. 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