Process
Ethical Screening & Exclusions
We begin with rigorous screening that excludes companies involved in preventable harms. Our criteria cover both product-based exclusions (animal products, weapons, fossil fuels, addiction, surveillance) and conduct-based exclusions (human rights violations, environmental damage, corporate misconduct). This comprehensive approach ensures your investments align with your values.
PRODUCT-BASED EXCLUSIONS
We exclude companies whose business models depend on creating products that harm living beings.
Animal Products
- • → Meat, dairy, eggs production
- • → Leather, hide, fur, silk production
- • → Fishing & hunting equipment
- • → Factory farming operations
- • → Animal testing for non-medical purposes
- • → Entertainment using live animals
Weapons & Military
- • → Weapons manufacturing
- • → Military materiel & consulting
- • → Defense contracting
- • → Private military contractors
Fossil Fuels & Extraction
- • → Fossil fuel extraction & refining
- • → Thermal coal (≥30% revenue/operations)
- • → Coal power (>10,000 MW capacity)
- • → Extractive industries (>20M tonnes annually)
Addiction & Public Health
- • → Tobacco products
- • → Harmful chemicals & toxins
- • → Addiction-enabling businesses
- • → For-profit prison operations
Surveillance Technology
- • → Privacy invasion
- • → Data exploitation
- • → Surveillance technology
- • → Social manipulation technologies
- • → Authoritarian surveillance enablement
CONDUCT-BASED EXCLUSIONS
Even companies making beneficial products can cause harm through their conduct. We track patterns of behavior that damage communities, workers, and ecosystems.
Human Rights Violations
- • → Labor rights violations
- • → Child labor exploitation
- • → Anti-union activities
- • → Human trafficking involvement
- • → Workplace safety negligence
- • → Discrimination & harassment
Environmental Damage
- • → Deforestation & habitat destruction
- • → Climate change acceleration
- • → Pollution & toxic waste
- • → Environmental cover-ups
- • → Ecosystem destruction
Corporate Misconduct
- • → Corruption & bribery
- • → Tax avoidance schemes
- • → Consumer fraud
- • → Regulatory capture attempts
- • → Greenwashing & deception
Global Impact
- • → Supply chain responsibility failures
- • → International law violations
- • → Community displacement
- • → Indigenous rights violations
- • → Developing nation exploitation
- • → Predatory lending practices
Do Our Best, Then Do Better
Our criteria are meant to avoid involvement with all preventable harms we are aware of. This excludes 57% of the S&P 500 (as of June 14, 2025). Our complete methodology is open source on GitHub under an MIT license.
(as of June 14, 2025)
Open Source & Collaborative
Our complete framework lives on GitHub under an MIT license with full version control—think of it as a living document with a conversation attached. Want to suggest changes? Send us a pull request. See something we missed? Raise an issue. Have ideas for improvement? Join the discussion forum. This collaborative approach helps us catch blind spots and adapt to emerging patterns of harm we haven't considered yet.
Join the Collaboration →Intersectional Company Analysis
We make sure these are real companies with sustainable business models through intersectional analysis that maintains a holistic view. While we consider six key areas that matter for long-term success, our analysis isn't limited to these. About 1-2% of stocks generate 99% of returns over multiple long-term periods ( ASU research ), and those amazing, successful companies are often unique in—you guessed it—unique ways. We don't want to limit our analysis to some rubric because these are living organisms that evolve and adapt. Any single factor can be dispositive, moving a company's Tick rating from 0 to 10 or vice versa:
People
- • Staff retention rates
- • Governance quality
- • Company culture
Product
- • Innovation potential
- • Market share position
- • Strategic KPIs
Execution
- • R&D returns
- • Sales effectiveness
- • Operational results
Valuation
- • Price-to-earnings ratios
- • Asset valuations
- • Free cash flow
Moat
- • Disruption resistance
- • Competitive pressures
- • Community engagement
Risk
- • Adoption challenges
- • Regulatory risks
- • Capital loss potential
Strategy Design & Portfolio Customization
First, we design core strategies using only the top 1% of securities that pass our analysis. Then we meet with you to customize the perfect mix of strategies for your specific needs, risk tolerance, and ethical priorities. Position sizing comes directly from our scoring process, ensuring each holding earns its place.
Our Three Core Strategies
Growth Strategy
- • Full ethical criteria implementation
- • ~25 concentrated positions
- • Long-term growth focus
- • Our flagship strategy
Income Strategy
- • Income-generating focus
- • Ethical dividend companies
- • Balanced risk approach
- • Regular distributions
Diversification Strategy
- • Broader diversification
- • Risk management focus
- • Ethical foundation
- • Portfolio stabilization
Decision Refinement & Continuous Improvement
We don't just monitor—we actively refine our decisions through rigorous analysis and systematic learning. This isn't set-and-forget investing; it's a continuous cycle of improvement that makes our process stronger over time.
Our Refinement Process
When ethics and excellence converge, sustainable investing outcomes follow.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Throughout our process, we're guided by simple principles: ethics reveal quality, transparency builds trust, and sustainable investing means considering all stakeholders.
// PROCESS
▸ Institutional Rigor, Boutique Attention
We combine analytical depth with personalized service. Every holding is hand-researched, every client relationship carefully tended.
▸ Radical Transparency
Our exclusion criteria are open source. Our process is documented. Our reasoning is clear. You deserve to understand exactly what you own and why.
▸ High-Conviction Concentration
We maintain focused portfolios of 15-25 companies. Depth of research over breadth of holdings.
// PRACTICE
▸ Continuous Evolution
Ethics is not static. As companies evolve and disappoint we adapt. Our screening is a living framework, refined through ongoing research and client dialogue.
▸ Intellectual Honesty
We acknowledge uncertainty, learn from mistakes, and evolve our approach. Humility serves our clients better than false certainty.
▸ Business-Focused Investing
We invest in companies, not stories. Real businesses with proven models, sustainable advantages, and ethical operations.
Ready to invest with intention?
Schedule a consultation to discuss how our process can work for your unique situation.