Keighley residents are among the most ethical in the UK when it comes to investing their money.

Parts of the town make up a national hotspot for ‘positive investment’ by individuals and businesses.

People in the Worth Valley, Keighley West and Craven wards are leading the way in funding social and environmental businesses.

These are among the findings of a new report – entitled Positive Investing in the United Kingdom – unveiled during National Ethical Investment Week.

Commissioned by Ethex, the UK’s first online exchange for positive investments, the study revealed many people now care where they invest their money.

Ethex said three out of the top ten hotspots in the UK are in Yorkshire, including one gathered together as ‘West Yorkshire and the Gateway to the Dales’.

Nationally, more than one million investments – mainly between £100 and £500 – had helped raise £1.6 billion for enterprises aiming to both ‘do good’ and offer a financial return.

The investments included ethical businesses, social enterprises, credit unions and community share offers.

One reason for the West Yorkshire hotspot is the number of Fairtrade locations, including Haworth, the UK’s first Fairtrade village, and Keighley, which is applying to become a Fairtade town.

Craven contributes to the hotspot due to Silsden being the headquarters of the Ecology Building Society, which channels savers’ funds into environmentally-friendly or sustainable projects.

Much of the investment in West Yorkshire comes from small investors, such as Rita Verity, who runs Sonia’s Smile Fairtrade shop in Haworth.

Rita said she would be most likely to invest in fair trade, low-impact living and sustainable energy projects.

She added: “If we choose to buy Fair-trade, organic and ethically for our daily needs, it follows we would want to have our invested money follow the same principles.”