Socially responsible investing. Is it successful?

Socially responsible investing (SRI) has been defined as "the integration of social or ethical criteria into the investment decision-making process." Based on the values they hold, investors distinguish socially responsible investments from those which are not by implementing social screens: nonfinancial criteria applied in the decision-making process. Socially responsible investors typically follow one of three approaches to ethical investing: avoidance of businesses whose activities they do not support, a positive approach where they seek investments that will enhance the quality of life, and an activist approach where they attempt to influence the company's activities. In addition to individuals, many institutional investors are heavily involved with SRI. Activist investors can judge their investments' performance by the success of their shareholder activities. Investors might also look at the societal effects of their investments. If investors are seeking to change the corporation or society, SRI has proven to be successful. Empirical studies have shown mixed results with respect to the financial performance of SRI, but the findings tend to show that SRI has minimal impact, either positively or negatively, on investment returns. Nevertheless, many factors indicate that SRI may be here to stay.