Mindful Money co-chief executive Kate Vennell says ethical investing is no longer a niche, with three-quarters of New Zealanders wanting responsible investments and a new generation of clients likely to demand more from their advisers.

Financial advisers who fail to understand their clients' ethical investment preferences risk losing business as wealth passes to a more demanding generation of investors, Mindful Money co-chief executive Kate Vennell says.

Speaking to GRTV following Mindful Money's Ethical and Impact Investment Awards, Vennell says responsible investing represents significant unmet demand rather than a specialist niche.

“We know that three-quarters of Kiwis want responsible investing,” she says, adding Mindful Money's surveys show the figure rises to 81% among women.

“To me, it's actually an untapped demand that's huge.”

Vennell says some advisers may previously have believed they could provide their standard investment offering without exploring clients' ethical preferences in depth. But she expects that to become increasingly difficult.