The rise of responsible investing in the age of Black Lives Matter, carbon emissions, and Me Too
Image: Alamy The concept of socially responsible investing is believed to have existed since 1500 BC, with an account in the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible believed to have been written then by Moses. The books refer to a Jewish concept called Tzedek wherein owners had not only rights but also responsibilities in how holdings were used, one of which was to prevent any immediate and potential harm. The next reference is dated 609-632 CE, with Riba, one of the governing principles in Qur’an, that aims to prevent exploitation from the use of money. By the 1700s, the concept sta...