£4·25 186 Sep/Oct 2020 www.ethicalconsumer.org CHOOSING A BANK WITH A MORAL COMPASS SHOPPING GUIDES TO Current Accounts Savings Accounts Ethical Investment Funds 2 Ethical Consumer Sept/Oct 2020 ETHICAL CONSUMER Editorial WHO’S WHO A year of climate action that suggested that moving your THIS ISSUE’S EDITOR Rob Harrison pension to sustainable funds can save PROOFING Ciara Maginness (Little Blue Pencil) WRITERS/RESEARCHERS Jane Turner, Tim Hunt, In January, before COVID 19 had moved around 2,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions, Rob Harrison, Anna Clayton, Josie Wexler, the goalposts for everyone, Ethical whereas taking one less international Ruth Strange, Mackenzie Denyer, Clare Carlile, Consumer staff decided at an annual flight a year will save around 19 tonnes.1 Francesca de la Torre, Alex Crumbie, Tom Bryson, strategy day that 2020 would, for us, be We’ve been scratching our heads on this Billy Saundry, Jasmine Owens REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Simon Birch, Colin Birch the year of carbon. We would use what this one because we felt that although DESIGN Tom Lynton resources we could muster to focus on it might be illustrating the very point LAYOUT Adele Armistead (Moonloft), Jane Turner increasing our impact in this space. we wanted to make, there is a danger it COVER Tom Lynton Although for a while, the pandemic is overstating it somewhat! We hope to CARTOONS Marc Roberts, Mike Bryson, Andy Vine, gave pause to the idea that anyone had explore this in more detail later. Alex Crumbie control over their own destiny, it now As we discuss throughout this AD SALES Simon Birch SUBSCRIPTIONS Elizabeth Chater, feels like we are beginning to get back magazine, the decisions that banks Francesca Thomas, Nadine Oliver on track with some of the plans we once make determine the direction of travel PRESS ENQUIRIES Simon Birch, Tim Hunt had. for the whole of the global economy ENQUIRIES Francesca Thomas and therefore for us all. Getting the WEB EDITOR Sophie Billington Working on the climate financial product choices right will THANKS ALSO TO Marlous Veldt, Merle Büter, Emma Kerrison. change ratings mean that the foundations on which Remote Research Volunteers: Katie Spittle, In the first half of this year we gave everything else will be built will be right Catherine Harbour, Mark Lidgett, Grace Critchley a complete overhaul to the way we too. All material correct one month before cover date rate companies on their carbon and Long term readers will know that and © Ethical Consumer Research Association climate change impacts. We are we’ve been saying this for a while now Ltd. ISSN 0955 8608 trying to capture the degree to which but it does feel like there has been some Printed with vegetable ink by RAP Spiderweb Ltd, a company is demonstrating that it recent movement, not least because the c/o the Commercial Centre, Clowes Centre, has grasped the seriousness of the range of initiatives and campaigns we Hollinwood, Oldham OL9 7LY. 0161 947 3700 situation and is doing something about can write about in this magazine have PAPER 100% post-consumer waste, chlorine-free and sourced from the only UK paper merchant it. Somewhat worryingly, but not mushroomed. supplying only recycled papers – Paperback altogether unexpectedly, is our initial Because of all of this, the next issue (www.paperbackpaper.co.uk) finding that roughly 93% of the financial of the magazine will continue our RETAIL DISTRIBUTION is handled by Central Books organisations we have looked at for this focus on finance and look at some of on 0845 458 9911. issue do not currently make the grade. the other products that most of us Ethical Consumer is a member of INK (independent news collective), an association of We’ve included a page giving more buy such as car and home insurance, radical and alternative publishers. information on this new ranking, as well pensions, mortgages and ISAs. We felt www.ink.uk.com as some of the technical detail around that the danger of readers getting a bit We are a Living Wage employer, a multi-stakeholder what we are looking for on page 42. of finance fatigue was outweighed by co-op, and Fair Tax Mark accredited. the importance of getting this stuff right Working on finance and the impact it can have when you For most people, addressing their do. And, as you will already know, own carbon impact usually means there’s always lots of other great reducing flying or putting more content in each issue. With a bit insulation in the roof. At Ethical of luck it might help us catch-up Consumer we think that the impact with some lockdown-induced ABOUT THE ADVERTISERS of choosing a financial service production delays too. provider should factor more highly ECRA checks out advertisers before accepting their ads and reserves the right to refuse any advert. in these kind of assessments, COVERED IN PREVIOUS SHOPPING GUIDES Abundance and this is why this is one of (177), Cheeky Panda (179), Ecology Building the core focus areas for this ROB HARRISON Society (186), Ethex (177), Infinity Wholefoods issue of the magazine. EDITOR (178), Kingfisher Toothpaste (184), Vegetarian Shoes (185). During the course of OTHER ADVERTISERS Amnesty International, Green our research we came Building Store, Green Stationery, Investing across one calculation Reference 1. www.nordea.com Ethically, Practical Action. WHAT IS ETHICAL CONSUMER? Democratise the market by enabling Push for wider political action and 2consumers to assert their own ethical 5legislative change. Ethical consumerism is We are an independent, not-for-profit, multi- values by using our shopping guides. not a replacement for other forms of political stakeholder co-operative founded in 1989 action. But it is an important additional way and based in Manchester. Our primary goal is Have a fully transparent ranking system. All for people to exert their influence. making global businesses more sustainable 3our data is available to subscribers. through consumer pressure. Our mission is to: HOW TO CONTACT US Engage with companies by telling them why Unit 21, 41 Old Birley Street, Manchester, M15 5RF Help consumers to challenge corporate we are buying or not buying their products. 4 0161 226 2929 — 10-5pm 1 power by using their economic vote every We also send them detailed questions about [email protected] — general time they go shopping. their policy and practice on ethical issues. [email protected] — subscriptions ethicalconsumer.org 3 feelgood windows Enjoy the comfort and energy efficiency of triple glazed timber windows and doors ® Options to suit all budgets Friendly personal service and technical support from the low energy and Passivhaus experts www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk t: 01484 461705 g b s windows ad 91x137mm Ethical C dec 2018 FINAL.indd 1 14/12/2018 10:42 4 Ethical Consumer Sept/Oct 2020 ETHICAL CONSUMER Contents 40 FEATURES SHOPPING GUIDES 44 Facebook Boycott Banking & Finance Stop Hate for Profit 10 Introduction 44 22 Banks and the environmental crisis 26 Banks and inequality 28 Banks and the human rights crisis 23 NEWS 06 Food & Home Tesco and deforestation, ban SUV REGULARS adverts, Ethical Consumer Week Current accounts guide 46 Gift subscriptions 12 Introduction 08 Clothes Give a gift subscription to Ethical 13 Financing destruction Boohoo scandal, #PayUp Peacocks, Consumer living wages website 14 Score Table & Best Buys 49 Letters 15 How to switch 40 Climate A regular forum for readers’ views Aid for fossil fuels, electric bikes, our new Climate Change rating 50 Inside view Savings accounts guide Carbon footprint labelling 18 Introduction 43 Boycotts Amazon avoids tax again 19 The most ethical accounts 50 20 Score Table & Best Buys 46 Beyond consumerism Autumn foraging tips Ethical investment funds 47 Campaigns Almeria and Covid guide 33 Introduction 46 35 Fossil-free funds 36 Score Table & Best Buys 37 Choosing an ethical fund 13 ethicalconsumer.org 5 NEWS Food & home with catastrophic consequences for Tesco urged to drop meat company Indigenous groups, forest wildlife and the climate. linked to Amazon deforestation Furthermore, many new infectious diseases in people come from animals whose primary habitat is dense tropical forests like the Amazon. The more forest © Tommaso Protti / Greenpeace Protti © Tommaso that’s destroyed, the more people come into contact with wildlife, the greater the risk of new pandemics. Tesco, along with other UK supermarkets and fast food chains are complicit in this destruction as they are buying industrial meat and dairy from companies owned by known forest destroyers. JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, is notorious for its links to forest destruction and Nearly 80 per cent of deforested areas in Brazil are now used for cattle pasture. has subsidiaries based in the UK. Its products are sold on many UK Greenpeace UK is calling on Tesco grow crops like soya, 90 percent of which supermarket shelves. Tesco has been to stop buying meat and dairy from is fed to animals to produce meat and targeted because it uses more soya for companies allegedly involved in Amazon dairy. In Brazil, forests are being slashed animal feed than any other supermarket deforestation and to halve the amount and burned to make way for beef farms in the UK. of meat it sells by 2025. Alison Kirkman and soya plantations. A longer version of this article, and a from Greenpeace UK explains why. Scientists warn that in less than 20 link to the Greenpeace petition, appears The meat industry is the biggest driver years the Amazon could reach a tipping on our website – www.ethicalconsumer. of deforestation. Over a quarter of the point, when so much has been destroyed org/food-drink/tesco-urged-drop-meat- world’s land is used to graze livestock and the forest will begin to die and dry out company-linked-amazon-deforestation Earth Overshoot Day Earth Overshoot Day is an inauspicious annual milestone marking the date at which the planet has overshot its ecological boundaries for the year.