Amy Domini Talks shareholder influence, gender diversity and investing for good
This two-part series with Amy Domini is sponsored by Newground Social Investment
Since 1994, Newground has been a leader in sustainable impact investing and shareholder engagement for clients, nationwide. As the first Social Purpose Corporation, Newground’s mission is to harness the power of business for good, aligning clients’ long-term financial goals with a healthy environment, strong communities, and a more just society. Discover how Newground can help connect –your– money with what matters.
GreenMoney Talks Episode 1 – In this two-part series, host Cliff Feigenbaum talks with SRI icon Amy Domini about her 30+ year experience in shareholder advocacy across social, gender and ecological standards, as founder and chair of Domini Impact Investments. She recounts how socially responsible or triple bottom line investing grew out of the movement to end Apartheid; reflects on creating the first socially screened benchmark stock index (Domini 400 Social Index) and the role of women’s leadership in the growth of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). Amy shares her perspective on ESG performance indicators leading to better management teams, as well investing in the era of climate risk.
Amy Domini is the Founder and Chair of Domini Impact Investments (“Domini”). She has been a leader and innovator in the development of impact investing for over 30 years. Widely regarded as one of the world’s eminent authorities in the field, she was named to Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2005.
Ms. Domini began her career as a stockbroker and became especially interested in working with clients that were concerned with ecological sustainability and universal human dignity. She co-founded KLD Research & Analytics and, in 1990, was instrumental in the launch of the Domini 400 Social Index*. She later co-created the Domini Impact Equity Fund. Ms. Domini serves as a voting member of Domini’s Impact Review Committee and Standards Committee. She also serves as co-Portfolio Manager for the Domini Impact Equity Fund, Domini International Opportunities Fund, and Domini Sustainable Solutions Fund.
Ms. Domini was acknowledged with the Clinton Global Initiative citation for innovation and finance. She has also received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from Northeastern College of Law, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Flagler College, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Yale University’s Berkeley Divinity School. Ms. Domini was named to Directorship magazine’s Directorship 100, the magazine’s listing of the most influential people on corporate governance and in the boardroom, and Barron’s selected her as one of the 30 most influential people in the mutual business. In 2009, she was named to Time magazine’s list of 25 “Responsibility Pioneers” who are changing the world.
Active in her community, Ms. Domini is a board member for the Center for Responsible Lending. She is also a past board member of the Church Pension Fund of the Episcopal Church in America; the National Association of Community Development Loan Funds, an organization whose members work to create funds for grassroots economic development loans; and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, the major sponsor of shareholder actions. A frequent guest commentator, Ms. Domini has appeared on CNBC’s Talking Stocks and various other radio and television shows.
Ms. Domini holds a B.A. in international and comparative studies from Boston University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.
* Now known as the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, owned by MSCI, Inc. MSCI and Domini Impact Investments LLC are not affiliated.
Select publications: Ms. Domini is the author of Thoughts on People Planet, & Profit (2021), Socially Responsible Investing: Making a Difference and Making Money (Dearborn Trade, 2001) and The Challenges of Wealth (Dow Jones Irwin, 1988), and a coauthor of Investing for Good (Harper Collins, 1993), The Social Investment Almanac (Henry Holt, 1992), and Ethical Investing (Addison-Wesley, 1984).