Socially responsible investing is an important hot topic of discussion in the financial work at present. Socially responsible investing itself is an obligation by a financial services organisation to commit to ethical investments. It is part of a movement calling for greater corporate social responsibility. Frequently such investments may include environmentally friendly technologies, companies with good human rights track records and companies with good consumer protection histories. Similarly socially responsible investing may call for a decrease in investment in areas such as weapons technology, tobacco and gambling. The question at the heart of this discussion is should the financial services industry be obliged, either by their own shareholders or by customers to undertake such an investment strategy? On one hand it is argued that socially responsible investing can help improve the environment, local communities and other important social causes. However it is also argued that socially responsible investing may be less profitable, and organisations which undertake this strategy risk being out competed by organisations not obliged to undertake these measures.