Micro-strategies of Contextualization Cross-national Transfer of Socially Responsible Investment

Stage of translation

Selection

Objectification

Materialization

Key events in the SRI

■ [1992-1995] The CEO of ARESE is working as a consultant for a

■ [1996] Market study on

■ [1996-1997] Development of SRI

transfer from US to

small consulting company in California.

social rating organizations

methodology with experts and students.

France

■ [1994] Group of French bankers travel to the US to study the
evolution of corporate governance and meet SRI investors.

■ [1995] French investors attend a seminar on innovation in the US
financial sector where they are exposed to SRI.

■ [1995-1996] French banks fund a study on implementing SRI in
France. Meetings with SRI agencies in Europe and the US, French
opinion leaders in the financial sector, and religious investors.

in France.

■ [1996] Presentation of a
business plan to French
financial institutions in
order to obtain funding for
the creation of a social
rating organization

■ [1997] Analysts are hired to collect and
process data.

■ [1997-1998] Data are collected in firms;
first SRI ratings are done.

■ [1998] First complete SRI rating of
French companies; refinement of the
methodology; orientation toward the
European market.

Key events in the SRI

■ [2002] The CEO of FIR is managing a non-profit environmental

■ [2002-2003] CEO forges

■ [2003] Development of SRI policy and

transfer from US to

protection agency in Quebec.

formal partnership between

evaluation tool.

Quebec

■ [2002] She attends the World Summit on Sustainable Development
in Johannesburg and discusses SRI with leaders of the Quebec
financial sector and labour unions.

■ [Fall 2002] The Committee of Public Finance, a workgroup within
the Quebec Parliament, holds a public hearing on corporate social
responsibility and socially responsible investment.

■ [2002-2003] CEO engages in informal discussions with actors
involved in environmental protection and/or financing

public institutions, private
firms, and the non-profit
sector.

■ [2003] The Fund for Social
Investment is formally
launched.

■ [2003] Analysts are hired to evaluate
applications for socially responsible
investment.

■ [2003] First investment decisions are
made.

Level of practice

Low level of definition

Middle level of definition

High level of definition

(re)definition

Fuzzy idea, general interest, inspiration to do an SRI project

Consolidation of idea, making
of a business plan

Implementation and commercial
development of idea