Inbrief

Vodafone is the company most favoured as an investment by UK ethical fund managers for the second year running, according to the Ethical Investment Research Service. Fifty-one ethical funds held the telecommunications company, which has just published its second corporate social responsibility report, in their portfolios in March 2002. Transport companies First Group (39) and National Express Group (36) were second and third most popular, followed by Prudential (35), HBOS (33), and Abbey National, BG Group and Centrica, which were in the portfolios of 32 ethical funds.