Some people think that green investment is related to green GDP, and all monetary funds (including other economic resources) used to increase green GDP are green investments. Scholars in western countries usually refer to green investment as "socially responsible investment" (SRI) from the perspective of corporate social responsibility. The investment model, which is considered to be based on environmental criteria, social criteria and monetary return criteria, considers the triple bottom line of economy, society and environment, or it is called triple surplus, also called "triple surplus" investment. Comply with the strategy of sustainable development, comprehensively consider economic, social, environmental and other factors, and urge enterprises to actively undertake corresponding social responsibilities while pursuing economic interests, thus bringing the value of sustainable development to investors and society.

Some scholars, starting from personal investment and financial management, believe that green investment is "screening the actual investment and financial management activities according to internationally accepted moral standards." This kind of investment and financial management activities include not only the investment in stocks of a single company, but also credit instruments and mutual funds such as bonds of a single company. The selection criterion is a good social image, and there is no record of land speculation or environmental damage. Such selection criteria are conducive to prompting financial institutions to pay more attention to social responsibility and public interests.