Tas Ethical

What Tas Ethical does

Tas Ethical Advice & Super (legal entity Ethical Financial Planning Services Pty Ltd, ABN 66 685 820 615, AFSL 700035) is a privately held, Hobart-based boutique financial advisory firm specializing in ethical investing, wealth management, and retirement planning. The firm traces its origins to 1984, when founder Bill Sharp established Financial Life Planners as one of Australia's first four advisory firms to offer ethical investments; it has operated as a pure ethical practice for approximately 15 years. Since 2008, the firm has been led by Stuart Barry, a 39-year finance industry veteran with prior fund management roles at ING, Westpac, and Queensland Treasury Corporation plus Country Manager assignments in South Korea and Japan. The current team of five includes three advisers (Stuart Barry, Tom Robertson, and Scott Donoghue), supported by two client services staff (Christine Lonsdale and Helen Downham).

The firm's offering is a single integrated advisory service delivered through a documented five-step process: initial get-to-know consultation with a flat fee quote for the full advice process, exploration of options, delivery of formal advice documentation, implementation, and ongoing periodic reviews for retained clients. Core service lines include ethical superannuation and investment management, retirement planning, aged care financial advice, and insurance advice. Distribution is direct and Tasmania-focused via face-to-face meetings at the Battery Point office in Hobart, supplemented by ABC Radio Hobart commentary, podcast appearances, content marketing, and pro bono referrals through Cancer Council Tasmania and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service. There is no proprietary technology platform, app, or AI tooling — the practice is human-advisory-led.

Revenue is generated on a professional services fee-for-service basis, with a flat fee quoted at the first meeting for the full advice process and ongoing review fees for retained clients. Tas Ethical monetizes its brand and expertise indirectly through ecosystem leadership: Stuart Barry co-founded the Ethical Advisers CoOp in 2008, initiated and funded Leaf Ratings (Australia's first consumer-focused ethical super and investment ratings system) for its first two years, and the firm participates in the Responsible Investment Association Australasia, the TNFD Australia/NZ working group, and as a supporter of the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility. Recognition includes Tom Robertson's ESG Adviser of the Year awards in 2024 and 2025, plus the firm's 2010 and 2015 Vic/Tas Practice of the Year and 2015 National Compliance Award from Financial Wisdom.

Name

Tas Ethical

Legal name

Ethical Financial Planning Services Pty Ltd

Website

https://tasethical.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tas Ethical Advice & Super is a Hobart, Tasmania-based boutique financial advisory firm specializing in ethical investing, wealth management, and retirement planning for values-aligned individuals and HNW clients, operating since 1984 through a flat-fee, face-to-face advisory model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ethical Financial Advisory Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAEAAAL

Fee-Only Advisory

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Investment Advisory & Financial Planning

SECONDARYFSAEAAAM

Fee-Based Advisory

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Investment Advisory & Financial Planning

Keywords

• Ethical investment advice
• Retirement planning services
• Wealth management advisory
• Fossil fuel free superannuation
• Aged care financial advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Financial Advisory Services: Fee-for-service advisory model offering wealth management, retirement planning, and investment advice. Initial engagement provides a flat fee quote for the full advice process. Ongoing advice delivered through periodic review meetings for retained clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tas Ethical delivers fee-for-service financial advisory services focused on ethical investing, including wealth management, retirement planning, superannuation, aged care financial advice, and insurance advice for individual clients and not-for-profit organizations. Advice is delivered through a structured five-step process (initial consultation, option exploration, advice delivery, setup, and ongoing reviews) with a flat fee quoted at the first meeting. The firm does not manufacture investment products but specializes in recommending ethically screened super and investment options from third-party fund managers.

Product overview

Tas Ethical Advice & Super is a specialized financial advisory firm providing ethical investing, wealth management, and retirement planning services. It operates as a single, unified advisory service rather than a platform with modular products. Core offerings include financial planning for individuals and organizations seeking investments aligned with social and environmental values, a structured five-step advisory process, aged care financial advice, and pro bono support for not-for-profit organizations and cancer patients. The firm does not offer separately branded product lines or modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Historically ethical funds have added value over mainstream funds
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIAA is the peak industry body representing responsible and ethical investors across Australia and New Zealand. Tas Ethical is a member, promoting responsible investment approaches and accessing industry resources and network.
• Ethical Advisers CoOpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStuart Barry co-founded the Ethical Advisers CoOp in 2008. Group mission is to make it easy for Australians to invest ethically while achieving financial goals. Members work together to encourage super funds and fund managers to introduce appropriate ethical fund options.
• Leaf RatingscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's first consumer-focused, free ethical ratings system for super and investments. Stuart Barry initiated, designed, funded and managed the initiative for its first two years. Tas Ethical adviser voting involvement in fund ratings.
• Australasian Center for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting ACCR since inception to change bad corporate behavior. ACCR is an organization focused on holding companies accountable for social and environmental performance.
• Task Force For Nature Related Disclosures (TNFD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTas Ethical serves on the TNFD Australia/NZ working group. TNFD is a critical initiative to hold the industry accountable for companies and super funds destroying nature for profit.
• Cancer Council TasmaniaminorOthersTas Ethical provides free financial advice to Cancer Council Tasmania clients through their pro bono program, generating goodwill and qualified referrals.
• Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal ServiceminorOthersTas Ethical provides free financial advice to Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service, fulfilling community service commitment.
• Financial Services GuidecoreOthersEthical Wealth Advice is an Authorised Representative of Ethical Financial Planning Services Pty Ltd ABN 66 685 820 615, AFSL 700035. Regulatory structure for licensed financial advice delivery.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ethinvest: Australian ethical investment advisory firm specializing in ethical and responsible investing for individuals and families. Directly comparable to Tas Ethical as a boutique, values-aligned advisory practice serving ethically-minded clients across Australia.
• Conscious Investment Management: Australia-based ethical investment advisory firm focused on values-aligned portfolio management. Comparable to Tas Ethical in its boutique scale, ethical-investing focus, and personal-client advisory approach.
• Brightlight Advisers: Australian boutique financial advisory firm offering personalized wealth management and financial planning across Australia. Comparable as a small-team advisory practice, though with less ethical-investing specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Capstone Financial Planning: Australian financial advisory licensee supporting a national network of self-employed advisers. Comparable in offering fee-for-service financial advice, but at materially larger scale and with broader geographic reach than Tas Ethical.
• Australian Ethical: Australia's largest and oldest dedicated ethical investment manager, offering superannuation, managed funds, and retail investment products. Comparable as a category leader in ethical investing while operating at much broader scale with a product-led rather than advisory-led model.
• Shadforth Financial Group: One of Australia's largest independent financial advisory groups, offering wealth management, superannuation, and retirement advice. Comparable in core advisory services but operates at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Financial Index Wealth Management: Australian wealth management firm providing financial advisory and portfolio management services to individuals and families. Comparable in providing personalized financial advice, though larger and broader in scope than Tas Ethical.

Others

• Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA): Peak industry body representing responsible and ethical investors across Australia and New Zealand. Tas Ethical is a member; RIAA defines certification standards and provides ecosystem credibility to member firms.
• Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR): Australian advocacy organization focused on holding companies accountable for environmental and social performance. Tas Ethical is a long-term supporter, making ACCR an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Emerging players

• Future Super: Australia's first fossil-fuel-free superannuation fund, positioned as a digital-first ESG super platform. Comparable ethically but a different distribution model (direct-to-consumer super fund rather than personal advisory), representing both a potential threat and a partnership channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tas-ethical

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tas Ethical