Estimating the demand for new social investments in the Netherlands

In this paper we analyze actual behavior and stated preferences with respect to social responsible investments. We design a specific questionnaire targeted to a sample representative of the Dutch population. We show that there is a latent demand for these kind of investments which has not been met yet. In particular, our analysis indicates that financial institutions have not managed to monetize the strong interest shown by highly educated individuals, as well as women. We offer suggestive evidence that certain forms of ethical investments may be more (or less) effective in attracting these individuals.