Abstract:

The objective of the article is to assess the activities and conditions for the development of Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) within Spain and Poland. These two countries were chosen intentionally. Both experienced prosperous periods in the 16th century followed by a decrease in political importance, and then dictatorships in the 20th century. Another factor is the prevalence of the catholic religion, which may affect the decisions of socially responsible investors. In order to realize the objectives of the research, the focus was placed on the comparison of the socio-economic and cultural aspects of both countries and the size of sustainable markets against the backdrop of other European countries. In the study, descriptive and multidimensional statistical methods were used (i.e. correspondence analysis - CA). The results indicate that Poland and Spain have relatively similar socio-economic conditions compared to other EU countries, but this does not seem to be the result of historical conditions. It can be concluded that this similarity is the result of a similar commitment to socially responsible investing.