Ethical Screening recently conducted a survey of users of our online adviser tools on this subject, with approximately 70 per cent of respondents indicating that they use model portfolios when developing client ethical offerings.

However, less than 50 per cent of advisers responding said that it was straightforward to differentiate sustainable from non-sustainable offerings.

In clarifying, a recurring theme was how easy labels made it to identify sustainable products, but that greenwashing was a concern and service providers can be avoided if greater holdings-level transparency was not forthcoming.

For many advisers, MPS options form a straightforward, cost-effective vehicle for the effective outsourcing of well-managed ethical products.

However, as one user put it: "As with all sustainable investments, the detail is the important factor".

Ethical Screening is working on a system to help advisers engage with these offerings, and hopefully close the trust-gap between providers and advisers.

As a final thought, maybe someone has reached the end of article and is still thinking “I think I will give this a miss”.

On September 28th at a Boring Money conference talking about sustainable investment and relate topics, Gwil Mason of the FCA (senior associate, ESG policy and Advisory) stated: “we will be introducing rules for distributors which makes sure the information is passed along to consumers."

Without wishing to make either Mason or the FCA itself into the ethical bogeyman, it really is time to join.

Mike Head is director at advice firm Ethical Investors and managing director of research firm Ethical Screening