SIO launches membership campaign

The Social Investment Organization has begun a major new campaign to expand its membership among financial advisors, fund companies and asset management firms.

The campaign is aimed at widening the reach of the SIO into mainstream financial planners, socially responsible investment funds and asset management firms. "SIO's membership has been growing during the last few years, but this is the first time in its 10-year history that SIO has systematically reached out to the investment community," said SIO Executive Director Eugene Ellmen. "Our aim is to bring the mainstream financial community into the SIO and into the socially responsible investment movement."

The campaign follows a summer of study by staff and the Board's Membership Committee, which resulted in the approval of a new membership structure effective Oct. 1. As part of this new structure, the four Founding Members of the SIO -- Acuity Funds, Desjardins Trust, Ethical Funds and VanCity -- will be given permanent acknowledgement of their Founding Member status in recognition of the critical role they played in funding the SIO during its restructuring two years ago. These members will also be given status as Sustaining Members, the new top member category in the organization.

The Institutional Supporter will be replaced with a new category -- Associate Member -- which has been created at the $2,500 annual level to better attract investment funds, asset managers and consultants. The package of services focuses on SRI marketing and information to better position these companies in the growing SRI market.

The SIO is also undertaking a campaign to bring more financial advisors into the organization. A package of services has been put together following a consultative session with professional members at the June Canadian Social Investment Conference. In addition to SIO's current services, the package will provide financial advisors with new services in the area of information, networking, training and marketing. This new package will be offered for $250 annually.

The SIO will continue to offer memberships to organizations at the $200 level and individuals at $45. In addition, the Board has given approval in principle to a process to create a new Statement of Principles and Standards for the SRI industry.  It is expected that a committee will be struck to draft a statement for approval in late 2002.

"This new membership structure will put the SIO on the path of long-term sustainability as well as helping to grow the socially responsible investment movement in the future," Ellmen said.

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