The flurry of activity around Good Money Week this year feels more than justified. Launched in 2005, this annual initiative — which starts on Saturday — aims to help people understand the benefits of sustainable and ethical finance, whether in pensions, investments or savings. And 15 years on, Covid-19 is providing new motivation for investors to explore investing in ethical funds.

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The hard months of lockdown have made us focus on what really matters. For some, climate change is the spur to action, as evidence of its effects continues to pile up regardless of the pandemic. For others, social issues are at the top of their minds. The Black Lives Matter campaign gained huge global momentum this year, slave trader statues were pulled down, and this week even that most traditional of institutions, the Royal Mint, joined in, launching the UK’s first coin to celebrate diversity.

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While aligning profits to principles is now the hottest investment trend, it’s a myth that this movement is just for the young and “woke”. Assets in ethical propositions held by customers of Interactive Investor, the investment platform, have increased significantly over the past four years, and Baby Boomers are leading the charge over younger adults.

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The generation born after the second world war moved from holding 0.47 per cent of assets in ethical funds or investment trusts at the end of 2015 to 5 per cent (as at April 27 2020), outstripping millennials, whose holdings rose from 0.88 per cent to 4.35 per cent over the same period.

This could suggest that older generations are concerned about not just passing on wealth but passing on a healthier planet. The dramatic increase in ethical exposure could be down to a combination of factors: more availability, increased awareness and long-term performance.

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