Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to critique the main claim of the socially responsible (SR) investment industry: that through strategic investing, investors cantransform corporate power. I argue that businesses often respond to the demand by investors for short-term economic growth by making choices that run counter to the interests of corporate social responsibility; they reduce labor and material costs in ways that disrupt workers, communities, and the environment. I demonstrate my theoretical claims using data from the ten most common stocks selected by SR mutual funds. I call these stocks the SR Big Ten. A simple roll call of the SR Big Ten, as well as a thorough examination of each stock within it, reveals how problematic it is for individuals to rely on investments to transform the corporate world.