French Social Investment Forum

The French Social Investment Forum is a non-profit and multi-stakeholder organisation which brings together organisations and individuals interested in promoting SRI in France. Its main aims are to contribute to SRI public policy making, to support research initiatives in the field of SRI, to promote socially responsible and sustainable investment practices and to act as knowledge resource centre. The official launch of the French SIF took place in March 2001 with the support of Euronext in Paris, where the results of the first survey on French SRI funds, by the Forum, were presented.

The FIR’s 60+ members represent most of the actors of the SRI “industry” in France and include asset managers, investors, extra-financial information service providers & rating agencies, trade unions, academics and individuals interested in promoting the SRI business case.

By actively participating in the parliamentary and public debate, the French Forum was successful in including a "disclosure" amendment in the law relating to Employee Savings Plans and in the financial management regulation of the French Pension Reserve Fund. The French SIF also strongly contributed to the requirement under the New Economic Regulations French listed companies to issue a "Triple Bottom Line" annual report.

The FIR runs two major annual events, respectively in June and December:

• the Annual Forum of European Responsible Investment (FAIRE – Forum Annuel de l’Investissement Responsable en Europe), the first “roadshow” of its kind in Europe which brings together, since 2003, European companies who present their sustainable development performances to over 200 asset managers as well as financial and extra-financial analysts from the major European countries active in SRI;
• the FIR Award “Finance & Sustainability”, the first edition of which took place in December 2005, an event which, like the US SIF Moskowitz Prize, rewards research projects that contribute to the development of knowledge in the field of “finance and sustainability”.