January 2019 - US SIF Archives

Reflections on SRI Investing in 2018

January 4, 2019

Sustainable and impact investing in the US continues to grow and to make a difference. Investors now consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors across $12 trillion of professionally managed assets, a 38 percent increase since 2016. Financial firms and institutional investors are addressing a diverse set of ESG concerns across a broader span of assets than ever. Many of these money managers and institutions, concerned about racial and gender discrimination, gun violence and environmental protection, are using portfolio selection and shareowner engagement to address these important issues.

The Nature Conservancy’s CEO on How to Scale Up Investments in Nature

January 4, 2019

Mark Tercek spent 24 years working as an investment banker and the last 10 years as the CEO of The Nature Conservancy. How to scale up investments in nature – is what he thinks about and what he wants you to start thinking about more.

Here\’s a Way to Fight Climate Change: Empower Women

January 4, 2019

“Gender and climate are inextricably linked,” said environmentalist and author Katharine Wilkinson at TEDWomen, a recent gathering of women thought leaders and activists in Calif. Women, she says, are disproportionately affected by climate change.

10 Years of Green Bonds: From Evolution to Revolution

January 4, 2019

Issued in November 2008, the World Bank’s first green bond created the blueprint for sustainable investing in the capital markets. Today, the green bond model is being applied to bonds that are raising financing for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Climate Finance: More Money Than Ever Invested in Climate Action, but is It Enough?

January 4, 2019

Climate finance is a central issue in how the global community proposes to follow through with implementation of the Paris Agreement. A new study, shows that while investment in climate action has been steadily increasing, it falls short in key areas.

CSE Research Links Financial and Corporate Sustainability (ESG) Performance

January 4, 2019

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence releases its third annual report on Sustainability (ESG) Reporting Trends: North America 2018. This research provides a useful and convenient representation of the current state of Sustainability Reporting.

UK Leads Europe in Sustainable and Responsible Investment

December 31, 2018

The United Kingdom is the frontrunner in Europe for sustainable and responsible investment (‘SRI’) according to data published in November 2018 by Eurosif, Europe’s sustainable and responsible investment membership organization.

SRI Trends Report 2018: Executive Summary

December 31, 2018

SRI Investing in the US continues to expand at a healthy pace. The total US-domiciled assets under management using SRI strategies grew from $8.7 trillion at the start of 2016 to $12.0 trillion at the start of 2018, an increase of 38 percent. This represents 26 percent—or 1 in 4 dollars—of the $46.6 trillion in total US assets under professional management. Since 1995, when the US SIF Foundation first measured the size of the US sustainable and responsible investment universe at $639 billion, these assets have increased more than 18-fold, a compound annual growth rate of 13.6 percent.

SRI Trends Report 2018: Community Investing

December 30, 2018

Community Investing is a vital form of SRI Investing that the US SIF Foundation has tracked for 20 years. The community investing sector has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, nearly doubling in assets between 2014 and 2016, and growing more than 50 percent from 2016 to 2018. In the US, community investing institutions direct capital to communities and individuals underserved by conventional financial services. They provide capital for small businesses, affordable housing units, charter schools, grocery stores as well as responsible lending products and related programs.