Ecclesiastical Investment Management, the UK-based socially responsible investment group, has appointed Neville White as a senior SRI analyst.

White will work with Ketan Patelm, another SRI analyst, and will support the fund management team in ethical research and screening.

Ecclesiastical is a financial services and insurance group which specialises in socially responsible investments. The group looks into investments into companies which demonstrate sustainable and socially responsible business practices.

White was previously manager, governance and ethical investment at CCLA Investment Management – a role he held for 13 years. He has also been secretary to the Church of England’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group.

“I am very excited to be joining Ecclesiastical which has a proven and committed investment team, with an excellent track record demonstrating both integrity and great performance. Investment in SRI funds has grown considerably over recent years, and with its strong ethical focus, I believe that Ecclesiastical is well placed to capitalise on this,” White said in a statement.

In the face of the economic crisis, interest in SRI has increased as investors look closely at company governance as a potential indicator of performance. Whereas previously many saw a dichotomy between SRI considerations and returns, it is increasingly recognised that companies which are run responsibly may well be the most profitable long term.