Cleona Lira, inspirational founder of Conscious Money and member of Parmenion’s Ethical Oversight Committee, recently attended Goodstock 2025, a sustainability conference held in Bristol. Here she shares six standout insights from the event - and why they matter.
1. Reference points shape decisions - both financial and non-financial. Just as investors measure gains against an initial amount (say £1,000), people make decisions on non-financial reference points: climate shifts, social issues, even personal memories, like hearing more birdsong. Metaphors and language are powerful. Call investing a “journey” and it feels steady. Call it a “gamble,” and it feels risky. Listening to clients’ metaphors is vital and reveals what matters most to them - often beyond standard metrics, like the weighted carbon intensity index!
2. Mobilising collective action - the movement ‘Parents for Future’ is building a cross-political community demanding bold climate policies. The 2024 LA wildfires alone cost $250 billion - more than Finland’s GDP. Now, 40,000 parents support the movement, prioritising their children’s environmental future over short-term financial gain.
3. Compassion builds trust - trust in financial services is low, and compassion is essential to changing that. The four steps: notice suffering, understand its cause, respond with empathy, and take action. We know our financial systems often block those who need help most - refugees and domestic abuse survivors - with red tape and impersonal, cold processes. Advisers can replace tick-box forms with open questions and engage in meaningful dialogue that considers our clients’ life goals and ethical values.
4. Money follows values - advisers can guide clients to invest in causes they care about, not just balance sheets. From solar power projects in Africa and local housing funds, there are investments that yield returns as well as creating real-world impact.
5. Local governments matter - councils are increasingly borrowing from residents and institutions to fund low-risk, high-impact projects approved by the FCA. These investments focus on areas that traditional finance often overlooks, like energy efficiency, clean transport, and pollution control - projects people can see and feel in their communities.
6. Diversify stewardship tools - Share Action urged investors not to rely on just one approach. Use the full toolkit: direct engagement (letters, meetings), collaboration (with other investors), voting power, policy engagement, and, if needed, divestment or the heavy-duty wrecking ball! Regularly assess which tool fits best for each situation: a hammer for bold moves, a screwdriver for targeted efforts or a ladder for a bit of public policy engagement.
All in all, a very insightful and engaging day. I also enjoyed hosting a panel on values in financial planning and the investment process. I didn’t make too many notes on that; it flew by in a blur.
Curious about how values and investment can work hand in hand?
At Parmenion, we help advisers turn client priorities into practical, ethical investment strategies. Get in touch to explore how.
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Parmenion accepts no duty of care or liability for loss arising from any person acting, or refraining from acting, as a result of any information contained within this article. All investment carries risk. The value of investments, and the income from them, can go down as well as up and investors may get back less than they put in. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
