Ethical Online Banking in Ireland?

[sophie]

Hello

I was reading about www.smile.co.uk and wondered if there is anything similar that anyone knows about for Ireland. I'm with Ulster Bank but am dying to get away from all banks - most especially, ones that don't have a clear ethical investment policy. I'm with a credit union and would transfer everything to them, but it's not easy for me to access my money with the union.

Smile won't let anyone who's not a resident join, unfortunately.

Many thanks

Sophie

 

[pat127]

I've not heard of an Irish Bank advertising their ethical policies. It sounds as though you see Banks as being a necessary evil - and I'm not saying you're wrong! - but in choosing a financial institution it seems to me that you have to look way beyond their claimed green credentials. No point in them being green if they haven't got the products you require or won't loan you any money for example. Having said that, a call to a Bank's Marketing Dept should help you to find out and if investing is your own goal as distinct to the Bank's, you'll find a good thread at

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=6809&highlight=ethical

 

[rmelly]

I wouldn't assume the credit union is any more/less ethical than a bank

 

[ClubMan]

What precisely do you mean by "ethical"? One person's definition might not match another's. As far as I can see most ethical funds take a fairly simplistic approach to determining what's "bad" and what's "good" which doesn't necessarily match reality or a fully rounded assessment of the issues involved.