Opening your eyes to some of the problems in the world can help you to make kinder choices within your own life. While changing your behaviours and thought processes can be a good first step, you may also want to think about the ways that you interact with other businesses. Opting to support only those that have morals and values akin to your own could allow you to gain a greater amount of satisfaction from the way that your money is both spent and saved.

Making better choices when investing

Should you choose to open an investment ISA this year, you may have some level of control regarding how it is spent. Allowing for most investment opportunities can come with a greater amount of interest accrued, but could also involve compromising on some of the things you believe in. Therefore, you might want to consider taking that small financial hit to instead have your money invested where it matters to you: only in ethical businesses. You may still be able to gain a proportion of interest from this, but at least you will know that your money shouldn’t be helping to cause harm to either people or the planet.

Opt for fairtrade goods wherever possible

Shopping locally can allow you to support small businesses and even gain an understanding of where your items have come from. However, it may not be possible to do so for everything you need. Looking for indicators that the company you purchase from, or goods you buy, follow fairtrade practices can be important. This may mean that the items used are gained in a sustainable way, and that the people involved in growing, harvesting, and transporting the goods are also paid a fair living wage. Looking out for the fairtrade symbol can be an especially good way of ensuring that you aren’t supporting slavery or poor working conditions, particularly in third-world countries.

Think about the staff

When you visit a venue, or purchase from a company, you may initially consider the level of service you receive from employees. While you might put poor service down to a bad day or poor training, it could also reflect on an employee’s perception of the company. Some businesses may overwork the people they hire with very little benefits in return. This can result in a toxic workplace that may not be properly addressed or improved by those in charge. Choosing to only support companies that genuinely value their staff can be of use.

Being a more ethical consumer may help you to do your part in not supporting a number of injustices in the world. By considering each and every aspect of how you spend your money, you may be able to find companies that genuinely care about the world, rather than simply attempting to make a fast profit. Although this may require more work, or even a slightly higher cost when purchasing, it can leave you knowing you have done something that really matters.