Residents of Northwich, Cheshire, Sarah and Steve Barr were searching for ethical investment options that would align with their environmental values when they discovered Path Financial.

Now both in their 60s, Sarah and Steve were looking for a financial partner to help transition their pensions and ISAs towards investments that would contribute to positive change. Sarah, a former teacher, had been unable to move her teacher’s pension to a more ethical alternative due to pension scheme restrictions. Steve, who had worked as a senior architect on Barclays’ mobile banking app, only considered switching his pension to ethical investments after his retirement.

In their search for a local company, they came across Path Financial through Ethical Consumer and were pleased to find advisers available across the UK. After meeting Path’s founder, David Macdonald, Sarah and Steve were struck by his knowledge and commitment to green investments.

David gave us a great deal of confidence because he was so positive about green investments,

Steve says.

It wasn’t just an optional extra – it was the core focus at Path, and that really resonated with us.

With his background in banking, Steve was aware of the environmental impact of traditional investments. Meanwhile, Sarah was actively involved in anti-fracking movements and Extinction Rebellion.

With Barclays being an investor in fossil fuels, it didn’t sit right with our feelings about green investments and being ethical consumers,

Steve reflects.

I told my colleagues at Barclays about Sarah’s involvement with Extinction Rebellion and anti-fracking. I was quite open about it. Some of them supported me, and some didn’t. But either way, you’ve got to keep making it a topic of conversation and raising awareness of what alternatives are out there.

Upon retiring at 66, Steve faced a choice about his pension funds, accumulated from several employers over the years. Recognising that his savings could either support industries that harm the planet or ones that drive positive change, he decided to invest in something more meaningful.

To sleep at night, I wanted to know my investments weren’t being used to exploit people or the planet.

Sarah and Steve’s commitment to ethical investing has even influenced their family.

We’ve been talking about our decision to move our money with our family a lot,

Sarah says.

My sister, who’s also very environmentally conscious, was very open to it. She was approaching retirement and read David’s book, Green Money, and she’s since moved her money to more ethical funds.

Their dedication to sustainability extends beyond their finances. Sarah and Steve are also undertaking a major renovation project, transforming a 300-year-old house into an eco-friendly home. Inspired by a visit to a passive house, they’re incorporating advanced sustainable features such as airtight sealing, extensive insulation, mechanical ventilation, and underfloor heating. Their goal is to create a home that not only reduces their carbon footprint but also sets an example of what sustainable renovation can achieve.

We’re hoping to move in by spring 2025, so the project will have been four years in the making,

Sarah says.

Houses can be made more energy efficient, but it’s really disruptive to go as far as we have with it. We’re very fortunate that we can stay in our current house while this one is being renovated. But not everyone has that option. So, how would you go about retrofitting a property when someone’s living in it? That’s really difficult.

With Path’s exclusive focus on green investments, Sarah and Steve found the perfect partner to transition their pensions and ISAs towards sustainability. Their financial journey with Path, alongside their ambitious eco-renovation project, underscores their deep commitment to choices that benefit both personal well-being and the planet.