Socially responsible funds seem to all the rage these days. And they do exert some influence. For instance, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services, Inc. (NYCE: UHS), the country's third largest hospital company, and Citizen Funds have agreed that the hospital will eliminate the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic. Located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Citizen Funds offers a wide array of what it contends to be socially and environmentally responsible no-load funds.

The firm had filed a shareholders resolution requesting that the company phase out the use of the plastic. Citizen Funds had argued that PVC was harmful both to the environment and to patients.

Universal Health Services responded with the announcement that it will investigate PVC-free products, and that it will pursue future products as they are made available due to advances in technology.

Citizen Funds then withdrew its shareholders resolution.

The Citizen family of funds includes an index fund (WAIDX), an income fund (WAIMX), and an emerging growth fund (WAEGX). 

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