Contrarian Investor: Sentiment shift 'good for business'

Robust investing and good business ethics

Ever since the global financial crisis, the thorny debate around how to marry robust investing and the implementation of good business ethics and governance has been at the top of the policy frontline issues.

The recent Panama Papers scandal, and now the BHS debacle, have shoved the idea of 'good' investing back into the spotlight. Should investors care about offshore companies, especially when so many asset managers make use of these self-same structures? Does rampant tax avoidance and/or planning by a big, publicly-listed corporate make for a poor investment? How much should investors prioritise the interests of pension funds over their equity stakes in collapsed businesses? My own sense is that although opinion among big institutional investors is shifting, within the retail and advisor...