Inbrief

Socially responsible investors would prefer their investment managers to impose a long cooling-off period before investing in a company that was previously deemed unacceptable but has since improved its social and environmental performance, a new study suggests. A survey of investors in Standard Life's retail ethical funds found 75 per cent of more than 1100 respondents felt three years should pass before a 'reformed' company is considered for investment. Standard Life said it would use the findings 'to consider how we might apply ethical criteria in the future'.