Impact Investing

The GreenMoney Journal team is excited to announce our Editorial Calendar for 2021. Truthfully, we spend months deciding on these topics and you’ll notice we have added a couple of new ones for 2021 including ‘Green Impact Bonds’ and ‘Oceans and Climate’. Each issue explores different aspects of the topic throughout the month online and in our biweekly eJournals. Read More

Mellody has been a trusted advisor to me and the company for more than 20 years. She is a fearless leader defined by her grace and wisdom. She has long embraced the purpose of Starbucks and, along with the leadership team, will continue to reimagine Starbucks future through the foundation of its past” said Howard Schultz, founder and chairman emeritus Read More

CNote, a women-founded and led financial technology platform that makes it easy to invest in economic inclusion, has closed a $3M private funding round to extend its reach in the fast-growing SRI investing space. CNote is focused on advancing economic justice through community investments and will use the funding to grow its team and scale its offerings. Read More

Rodale Institute, the global leader of regenerative organic agriculture, is “putting its money where its mouth is” by investing $2 million dollars with Iroquois Valley Farmland Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), a farmland finance company that works with mission-driven investors to provide organic and regenerative farmers land security through long-term leases and mortgages. Read More

Domini Impact Investments has launched a new mutual fund which combines core exposure to international equity markets through the lens of the impact investor with an allocation to solution-oriented companies helping to address some of our greatest sustainability challenges. The new Fund was built to capitalize on the success of their U.S. equity strategy. Read More

Over the past 25 years, CIC has grown to a firm with over $575 million in total assets, raising capital from hundreds of brokerage firms and institutions and thousands of individuals. Making nearly a 1,000 loans and investments to over 500 organizations across 100+ countries, supporting hundreds of thousands of businesses and benefitting millions of lives around the world. Read More

ESG-driven products have continued to attract billions at a rapid rate during the last year, including a record $36 billion in October alone. The market keeps calling for a common set of rules to guide and govern such investments in a sector with hundreds of different ESG rating frameworks. Will that call be answered by the newly-created Value Reporting Foundation? Read More

According to the Trends Report, from 2018 through mid-2020, 149 institutional investors and 56 investment managers collectively controlling nearly $2.0 trillion in assets filed or co-filed shareholder resolutions on ESG issues like corporate political activity, fair labor and equal employment, climate change, and other issues. Many investors also reported that they engaged in dialogue with companies on ESG issues. Read More

The US SIF identified, in their 2020 Trends Report, 530 institutional asset owners with $6.2 trillion in ESG assets, equivalent to 51 percent of the $12.01 trillion that money managers identified as institutional assets. The group included institutional asset owners and plan sponsors such as public funds, insurance co, educational and Faith-based institutions, foundations, labor funds, hospitals, and family offices. Read More

The US SIF Foundation identified, in their 2020 Trends Report, 384 money managers and 1,204 community investing institutions incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria into their investment analysis and decision-making processes. The $16.6 trillion in ESG incorporation assets they represent is a nearly 43 percent increase over the $11.6 trillion in such assets identified in 2018. Read More

Sustainable investing in the US continues to expand at a healthy pace. The total US-domiciled assets under management using sustainable investing strategies grew from $12.0 trillion at the start of 2018 to $17.1 trillion at the start of 2020, an increase of 42 percent. This represents 33 percent, or one in three dollars, of the $51.4 trillion in total US assets under professional management. Read More

In 25 years of reporting on sustainable business, I have become fascinated by the pivotal relationship between capital and innovative solutions to climate-related issues. More recently, I have engaged with organizations, companies, and events as many have focused ESG, impact investing, and SRI strategies and practices that address climate change. Read More

This year has been like no other – and it was clear that this year’s ranking must evolve to meet the moment. The 2020 MPW list covers industries ranging from space exploration to book publishing, and highlights women who are using their power in myriad ways. It is the most diverse and dynamic list that Fortune has ever published. Read More

When Gender Lens Investing started a decade ago, the focus was largely on the number of women in management and CEO roles, but a more nuanced and far-reaching approach is now emerging and it is likely to find increasingly wide acceptance among all investors, according to a recent report from Glenmede. Read More

This year World Tree became the highest funded female-founded company on Wefunder. We raised over $2 million and became the third most funded company on the platform ever. Our core mission is to “Elevate, Educate, and Innovate for the Planet.” We value people and we value Mother Earth. Our business is designed to address big issues like climate change, poverty, and deforestation. Read More

Far more women advisors are seeking to help women investors in the sustainable investing space. Because sustainable investing, which includes screening investments for ESG factors is no longer just a way to simply feel good; it makes sense from a business perspective. All of this leads to a far more equitable society, and a more efficient and resilient economy. Read More

If we wish to see more women in finance, it’s up to us as role models to volunteer in schools and other youth organizations. We can also help to teach girls financial literacy and the power of money by linking it to achieving better environmental and social outcomes; after all, as values-based, sustainable, and impact investors know, money is often the key to making real change in this world. Read More

Economic insecurity among women brings long-lasting consequences for families and the overall economy. Many women are now the breadwinners in their households. Their loss or reduction of income impedes their ability to provide for their families. This, in turn, can have a negative impact on the well-being of children and can lead to increased education and economic inequality. Read More

Faith investors have long engaged companies and governments on exploitative practices involving child labor. They have also weighed in on negative infant formula marketing, violent video games, and obesity impacts from junk food over the past four decades. In fact, faith investors are typically the first shareowners to flag negative business impacts on children. Read More

As faith communities know from their decades of advocacy, there is deep benefit in coming together to share knowledge and grow commitments aimed at achieving meaningful real-world changes. Those same lessons can be applied to faith-based investing efforts. As investors, faith communities must learn from each other, coordinate across different groups, and make their collective capital count. Read More

Adam Matthews, director of ethics and engagement at The Church of England Pensions Board is on the vanguard of a growing trend among activist institutional investors of all sizes who are no longer waiting for governments to tackle the world’s most important and impactful environmental and social issues, particularly climate change. Read More

We aren’t owners; we are stewards of the resources that God has given us. This knowledge should radically change the how, where, and why behind our investment strategies. Imagine the impact that would occur when all Christ-following investors use investment capital to deliver community impact, spiritual integration, and financial return. We can take what God has given and put it back into the work He is doing on earth. Read More

The United Church of Christ was present at the creation of a new era in the intersection of faith and finance. In the early 70s, energized by the anti-war and anti-apartheid movements, the women’s movement, and the battle for civil rights, Protestant denominations began to examine how their religious values and social justice positions were reflected in their investing and business decisions. Read More

We need to find a way forward that allows us to care for the poor and our planet, without feeling guilty about having money, and enjoying it wholeheartedly for the good it produces in the world and our lives. I suggest being mindful about your money by giving your money some love—the right kind of love. Not avarice or greed, but spiritual love that is mindful of our responsibility to live in alignment with our values. Read More

Religious investors have been a vital force in the development of modern responsible investment. Pax World, the first SRI mutual fund in the U.S., was launched in 1971 by two Methodist ministers. In that same year the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility was founded, and over the next half-century ICCR members have been engaging with corporations on issues ranging from the South Africa boycott to climate change. Read More

For all investors, but particularly for communities of faith in these turbulent times, the prospect of impact investing offers an abundance of meaningful opportunities to realign and reaffirm how our values support our investment strategies. From a congregation that decides to make a deposit in a local credit union or Black-owned community development bank, or to a church-based pension fund that invests in climate resilience. Read More

"How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love, not in word or speech but in truth and action." (1 John 3:17-18, NRSV) Traditionally seen as a call to greater charity, in 2020 this verse can provide inspiration for investors to integrate their values and pursue impact through their portfolios as well. Read More

Join thousands of leaders online — from the private and public sectors, utilities, solution providers, investors, and startups — who are advancing systemic solutions to address the climate crisis through five key markets: clean energy, electrified transportation, the circular economy, carbon removal and sustainable food systems. Read More

Started by Wendy Burton in 2015, World Tree USA, recently surpassed $2M on the Equity Crowdfunding Platform. This marks the third most successful capital raise in Wefunder’s history and the highest amount raised by any female founder. The agroforestry company offers investors the opportunity to participate in a timber investment through its Eco-Tree Program. Read More

First Affirmative, a pioneer in SRI Investing announced in September it will return to independence as an employee-owned Certified B Corp focused on values-based investing. First Affirmative and Goldman Sachs announced the spinoff as part of Goldman Sachs's acquisition of Folio Financial, which acquired First Affirmative in 2016. Read More

Climate & Capital Media is a global media company that connects investors and entrepreneurs working on climate change solutions. Its news service develops informative profiles that deliver meaningful investment and leadership insights about businesses who are addressing global warming and building a more sustainable climate economy. Read More

The report examines why sustainable investors in the United States are interested in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the challenges in furthering the SDGs. The Sept. 2020 report also assesses whether the SDGs have led to a change in investment strategies, new investment products or new investment flows. Read More

In the ever-evolving landscape of ESG investing, Trillium’s philosophy has remained the same since 1982: provide for the financial needs of our clients while leveraging their capital for positive ESG impact in alignment with their values. Trillium’s ESG Global Equity fund has proven itself, through a long track record of positive results and generating returns responsibly. Read More

Emerging markets have historically presented an added challenge for investors focused on sustainability factors. However, the growth in ESG disclosure by emerging market companies and the ever-widening coverage of those companies by ESG data providers has dramatically lowered this hurdle, giving SRI investors far more opportunities to invest. Read More

China’s influence on the global economy, financial markets and geopolitical system is significant. The decision whether to invest in China is a complicated one. The power and reach of China’s state-led model, its weak human rights record and lack of transparency, can dissuade investors. Calvert chooses to invest in China and engage as a shareowner, rather than divest. Read More

We are not just advocating for our SRI field because we think it might help you make better investment decisions, though it might. We are advocating for this investment approach because we believe that only an engaged investor class can prevent a complete collapse of the fragile ecology of our planet, and provide universal dignity to all people around the world. Read More

While barreling down a dirt road in Tanzania with Francis Sabuni, I was asking him investment questions for his Conservation Fund. “What time horizon should we consider for investment 5-7 years, 7-10 years?” He answered “500,000 years!” Then said, “This national park endowment is not for us, it is for our grandchildren, and their grandchildren’s grandchildren.” Read More

“For 20 years we’ve been on the leading edge of ESG focused investment advice. From clean energy to gender empowerment to self-driving cars, we’ve helped investors build diversified ESG portfolios, and participate in some of the world’s fastest growing trends,” said Arturo Tabuenca, founder of Blue Marble Investments. Read More

Sustainable fund flows in the US continued at a record pace in the 2nd quarter of 2020, with net flows of $10 billion, bringing the total for the first half of the year to $21 billion, just shy of the annual record of $21.4 billion in sustainable fund net flows set in 2019, that were 4 times the previous record for a calendar year. Read More

This free online introductory course is designed for individual investors who want to learn the basics of sustainable and impact investing and is meant to make it easier for individuals to align their investments to address their financial, social and environmental priorities. Read More

The intersection of a new pandemic and reinvigorated demands for racial equality has created a gut-check moment for communities across the country, one that calls for a “new model” of place-based philanthropy. Now is the time to re-imagine a community and an economy that work for all and re-invest to make them happen. Read More

Foundations have a unique ability to provide capital to ramp up new technologies, catapult “moonshot” ideas to fruition, influence corporate behavior and activate other funders to participate in projects that might have been considered too risky for business or government, accountable to a different set of external stakeholders. Read More

Homeownership is an important way that many create financial security and build wealth, which are critical to a family’s financial well-being and quality of life. Many families face obstacles that lock them out of the long-term economic benefit. Homewise addresses these obstacles through a two-pronged strategy. Read More

Donor-Advised Funds are a hot topic in the world of philanthropy and impact investing. Seems everyone has a perspective on how DAFs could be better utilized or why they’re underleveraged. We believe, one path to unleashing the power of DAFs is through impact venture capital. Read More

Throughout 2019, Domini Funds enhanced their Impact Investment Standards, continued to identify how their investments support the UN’s SDGs, and collaborated with a wide variety of stakeholders, including companies, civil society organizations, and other investors. In addition to its focus of addressing climate change and human rights through its investment process and engagements. Read More

Companies that exhibited the best capabilities to serve customers as they began to shelter in place relied on innovation long before the pandemic emerged. Remaining relevant to customers during this time requires inventiveness, adaptability and resilience. Here are the companies that have stepped up, supporting the virtual economy, while investing in the workplace and managing supply chain risks. Read More

As it happens, Index-based Investing and ESG Investing met 30 years ago, when Peter Kinder, Steve Lydenberg and Amy Domini ran a research firm in Boston, and assembled a set of socially responsible stocks they called the KLD 400 Social Index. MSCI has created a new interactive timeline, which traces the evolution of ESG indexes back to 1990. Read More

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought much uncertainty to human lives and the global economy. In this turmoil, the water theme has not remained immune, facing many ambiguities and difficulties but also potential opportunities. The water industry now needs to consider the resilience of this essential service in the light of future risks while recognizing the importance of water for the well-being of our societies. Read More

Clean water and sanitation for all is the subject of the UN’s sixth sustainable development goal, and an increasingly relevant topic to both emerging markets and the developed world. The need for water infrastructure is great in the developing world, and in the developed world, ensuring access to clean water is an ever-present issue. All of which brings opportunities for sustainable investors. Read More

Water Foundry, a global advisor in solving water challenges and driving technology innovation, and ConnectMii, a company and platform that delivers unique virtual conference experiences, announced the launch of Blue Foundry Events, a virtual meeting and events platform that aims to facilitate meaningful engagement amongst water industry stakeholders. Read More

Apple has released a 10-year roadmap, as part of its 2020 Environmental Progress Report, to ensure that every device it produces has a net-zero climate impact by 2030, as part of its plans to become carbon neutral. "Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth," said Apple's CEO Tim Cook. Read More

Leading climate scientists have warned that we have to keep global warming below 1.5°C, beyond which even half a degree more will worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for millions of people. Meeting that target requires emissions not just to stabilize but decrease, requiring immediate transformation of our infrastructure, including how we generate energy and fuel our economy. Read More

To expand municipal solar in Maine, we’ve helped community banks learn the ropes through participation in a CEI municipal solar loan. CEI takes the lead in organizing, negotiating and documenting a solar financing transaction, while the bank provides funding dollars and, learns how to replicate the model. The involvement of community banks, along with new legislation, has allowed the scale of projects to expand statewide. Read More

Buildings consume 40% of global energy and create 30% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions; they are a big part of the climate change puzzle. The energy needs of our data has increased exponentially as our music, our movies, and more of our lives has moved into the "cloud". It actually resides in buildings we call data centers, which have a large and growing carbon footprint. Read More

The competitiveness of Renewable Energy with fossil fuels is strong, driven by innovation, and economies of scale. The transition to a low-carbon economy is happening and will continue over the coming decades. Corporate leaders have largely embraced this outlook and individual and institutional investors have turned to ESG strategies to avoid risk, capture alpha and drive this low-carbon transition. Read More

The Investor Alliance for Human Rights has recently published this Toolkit for asset owners and money managers to address risks to people posed by their investments. The variety of crises in the world, has shown a light on systemic economic and social inequalities across societies as well as the precarious foundation that financial markets rely upon which is more evident now than ever. Read More

Intel has a long history of integrating corporate responsibility efforts into its operations, and now 10 years have passed since the company developed their 2020 corporate responsibility goals-achieving nearly all of them. Their latest CSR Report details efforts in addressing climate change and sustainable water use; advancing gender diversity and taking responsible business practices worldwide. Read More

This new book by William Ginn, founder of NatureVest at TNC, outlines the need to invest trillions in renewing our large-scale infrastructure, from energy production to water delivery systems. While the business world has often exploited nature, he argues that its entrepreneurial talent and financial capital are critical resources for developing solutions to global issues while protecting natural systems. Read More

As I sat down to write this article, a story appeared on CNN about the Whoa Nellie Farm in Acme, PA. I had no choice but to start the article with them because when, due to covid-19 supply chain disruptions, the farm’s milk processor stopped purchasing their milk, so they ramped up the bottling and pasteurization operation on the farm and put out a call to their community. Before long, there was a line of cars. Read More

Acquisition International magazine, based in London, has announced the winners of the 2020 Business Excellence Award. The goal of the Awards is to shine a spotlight on the achievements of entrepreneurs, managers, owners and founders around the world. The GreenMoney Journal team is honored to receive this award, which is our fifth significant award over the last 3 years. Read More

The winner in the Impact Investing category of Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards, is As You Sow’s “Invest Your Values” online tool, which gives users a chance to view what’s in the funds they’re investing in and — if they don’t like what they find — to pick a mutual fund more aligned with their goals. It helps everyday investors to align their investing with their values. Read More

By investing in companies providing solution-oriented products and services aligned with themes — from renewable energy systems and electric vehicles to breakthrough medical technologies, healthy and organic food, and lending for underserved communities — the new Fund is designed to help create a more sustainable future and provide investors an opportunity to better align their portfolios with the SDGs. Read More

Providing investors and industry stakeholders with publicly available ESG metrics for tens of thousands of funds, companies and indexes is helping to drive awareness, educate the market and raise ESG disclosure standards. MSCI believes that enhanced transparency and comparability is fundamental to ensuring broader adoption of ESG indexes, and in driving capital towards more sustainable investments. Read More

The food and ag sector is transitioning towards more sustainable food production and consumption. Growing environmental and resource pressures, changing consumer demands, innovation, and regulations are disrupting depletive practices and unhealthy preferences. We now see new fast-growing insurgent companies and changing business models leading to investment opportunities. Read More

Diversity of a company’s leadership team is a highly material variable that should be assessed and factored into a prudent investment process. It’s one of many variables that should be analyzed to create a holistic picture of a company’s risk and opportunity profile. First and foremost, how and from where, does a company derive its revenue stream must be evaluated as well. Read More

I am hearing loud and clear from our Ellevest community on their desire to help each other during this crisis. Some of us will donate our time, others our money. I think there’s another thing to consider doing: continue to shift capital to investments that are better for women. Because as we come out of this crisis, the same global issues that existed before will exist afterward. Read More

Barron’s decision to recognize and honor influential women in finance comes at a time when business institutions themselves have begun to realize that their long-term competitiveness, and the health of the capital markets, require remediating the industry’s gender gap. In the financial world, men have generally made more money than women and dominated management. Read More

The publicly available online database for impact investors, family offices, financial advisors and institutional investors features a diversified listing of private capital fund managers delivering social and environmental impact as well as financial returns. And new for 2020 is an Emerging Impact Manager category Read More

Within the impact investing community, the value of gender diversity as an investment evaluation screen is rarely questioned because we know a secret that mainstream private equity and venture capital investors have failed to identify. We’ve discovered that investing in women-led companies is not only exceptionally impactful, but it is also an excellent financial strategy. Read More

Climate change is a story that encompasses everyone. It’s an equal opportunity wolf at the door. But, as is the case with diversity in almost every pursuit, more diverse groups bring more to the table, and considering that climate change is the one of the most important problem humans must solve, diversity has a positive contribution to make. Read More

Investing to promote gender equality and advance the socioeconomic standing of women is a leading priority of many sustainable investors. The US SIF found that at the start of 2018, institutional investors considered “gender lens” as a criterion in $868 billion of investment assets, doubling since 2016. Read More

Risk assessment is a ubiquitous tool used to understand the impacts of investment. What past assessment tools have lacked, however, is a complete understanding of Indigenous women’s experiences of life in their communities. We are recalibrating the lens to more aptly account for Indigenous women’s economic and social wellbeing. Read More

Last Year, the Sierra Club Foundation embarked on an intentional effort to partner with tribes not only to defend the environment from the extractive industry but also to invest early capital into clean energy projects that advance social justice outcomes. We established a new High Impact Investment Fund within our broader investment portfolio. Read More

My journey understanding SRI and how to implement it within Indian Country has been a captivating and everchanging learning experience. This journey led me to meet many inspiring people that have dedicated their lives to the SRI beliefs. Their commitment and enthusiasm have kept me moving forward to help solve this puzzle for my tribe. Read More

One of the challenges, especially in relation to investing in Indigenous communities, is measuring the “S” in ESG for the dual purposes of understanding the full extent of social impacts as to development, but also to advocate for a process that elevates Indigenous perspective and values, as to social and cultural impacts. Read More

The Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative is part of an emerging movement to align investment with reconciliation and Indigenous rights and values. Long-term investment returns for Indigenous and non-Indigenous investors depend on resilient communities and sustainable economies. Read More

For over 50 years, the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED) has played a leading role in business and economic development for tribes, tribal owned businesses, Native American and Alaska Native entrepreneurs, and anyone seeking to do business or invest in Indian Country. Read More

March 1st Edition Overview As I read through the articles for this March 1st edition by so many esteemed contributors, I am struck by the progress that we have made together in this field. Our work has led us all to consider individually and collectively the frameworks and practices necessary to implement a just transition with and for Indigenous Peoples. Read More

The Oneida Nation, located in northeast WI, was one of the first Native Nations to formally adopt Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing policies for our trust assets. This resulted in nearly 30 years of engaging with companies as shareholders to bring forth issues impacting Native Country and the environment. Read More

With the opportunity to interview a leader in the Native American community, the first name that came to mind was Jason Campbell, because he understands through his strong Native entrepreneurial spirit how Sustainable, Responsible, Impact (SRI) Investing can and does positively impact Indigenous Peoples. Read More

A rediscovery of the Grand Canyon that includes our stories, accurate historical accounts, and true representation of Native people will provide visitors, as well as local communities, the opportunity to interact with our people in a positive way and create an equally beneficial economic paradigm. Read More

Like many of us, Millennials are large consumers of energy. Previous generations may have been indifferent to where their energy came from; generated by a coal plant or at a dam. But this is changing as Millennials desire to have meaning in their work, their products, and the type of energy they consume. Read More

Millennials are excited by social enterprises that tackle injustice at scale. At CGF, our team is motivated by the challenge of maintaining a balance between the imperative to fulfill our mission and the need to generate revenue, everyone is directly engaged in finding solutions. Read More

What good is a well-funded retirement in a world of extreme inequality and climate disaster? After searching for solutions from personal action to ecology, I now believe the answer is to change the paradigm of the investment community, so that it supports its own sustainability by combating climate change. Read More

Millennials were born into a rapidly changing financial landscape which should inform us of the diligence required for the next economic revolution. Thousands of individuals, corporations, and institutions are moving investment assets away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. Millennial investors should do the same. Read More

MORNINGSTAR – Sustainable funds in the United States attracted new assets at a record pace in 2019. Estimated net flows into open-end and exchange-traded sustainable funds that are available to U.S. investors totaled $20.6 billion for the year. That's nearly 4 times the previous annual record for net flows set in 2018. Read More

The 13th annual report, examines Key Trends and Metrics about Corporate Sustainability: how, and how well, companies are making progress in assessing and minimizing their impacts and embracing a range of strategies that move them forward in significant ways. Read More

ESG themes are long-term, but some can emerge suddenly. MSCI is watching Five Trends they believe will unfold in 2020 to catapult ESG investing into the new decade: Climate Innovation, Corporate Finance, Real Estate, Human Capital, and Stakeholder Capitalism. Read More

Investors should consider long-term climate and environmental risks as fundamentally material, and act accordingly. Prioritizing ESG and using all the tools of active ownership to hold portfolio companies accountable for mitigating the environmental and social harms that have traditionally been treated as externalities. Read More

The shared experiences of Millennials have created a sense of shared destiny. Seeing the effects of financial market events and sharing our responses to them, mostly on social media, has made risk very real for us when making financial decisions. It has created a unique set of values with how we interact with money and our investments. Read More

The second saga of Facebook has begun, as they capitalize on the rise of social media as a primary news source. They do not call themselves a news outlet, but a news ‘platform.’ That is a subtle but meaningful distinction as it relates to the issue of their responsibility for the news that finds its way onto the Facebook ‘platform’. Read More

Maersk, Kimberly-Clark, BT, Hannon Armstrong, Intel and Firmenich were among winners at the international Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards. Over 300 leading figures in global responsible business gathered at the 10th ceremony held in London. Read More

Calvert Impact Capital passes $500 Million milestone in distribution of Community Investment Notes via Incapital Network and releases new Guide to Impact Investing to help Financial Advisors keep pace with growing client demand Read More

The new survey from RBC Global Asset Management uncovers a variety of views on responsible investing among institutional investors. While more institutional investors are going “all in”, others stay on the sidelines for now. Read More

These leading Millennials and Gen Z financial advisors, investment professionals, social entrepreneurs, issue advocates, employees of mission-driven organizations, students and researchers are set to lead the way forward in SRI and ESG Investing. Read More

Over the last decade, issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds have exploded. Over $190 billion in green bonds issued globally this year and another $49 billion in sustainability bonds and social bonds. Markets will continue to grow because both issuers and investors want to make an impact on the world. Read More

Responsible Investing has grown from a cottage industry, born from values-based investing, to one that truly is becoming mainstreamed based on material ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) factors that impact value, risk, and return. As this decade comes to a close, let’s take a moment to assess the progress and the way forward. Read More

Companies face expectations to be good stewards of the environment, to treat their workers well and pay them fairly, to encourage diversity, respect human rights, deliver safe and useful products, and behave in an ethical and transparent manner. This requires making decisions through a sustainability lens, which considers all relevant stakeholders. Read More

The climate crisis is precipitating a sustainable investment revolution. Investors are putting their money where their mouth is: sustainable funds attracted $13.0 billion in net flows in the first three quarters of 2019. I expect the exponential growth of ESG investing to continue in 2020; and I think three factors largely will drive it. Read More

More than eight in ten U.S. individual investors now express interest in sustainable investing, while half take part in at least one sustainable investing activity, according to a new survey published in September 2019 by the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing. Read More

The award honors 20 dreamers, pioneers, entrepreneurs, designers, engineers, business leaders, policymakers and investors on the cutting edge of sustainability and technology. Every economic movement, every technology revolution is led by the vanguard, blazing a trail to the future. Read More

In a new white paper, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) explores the current state of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing in the U.S. and provides recommendations for ESG methodologies that better reflect renewable energy use and investment. Read More

The report, T100 Focus: The Frontier of SDG Investing, unearths data from 76 Toniic member portfolios, totaling $2.8 billion in committed capital, to reveal where the most active impact investors see investable opportunities towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across asset classes. Read More

SRI Investing has reached $12 trillion in assets. But, the vast majority – 97 percent – are investments in the traditional capital markets. Beyond adding ESG screens to portfolios, it is imperative that we find ways to support direct, community-level investments as innovative nonprofits are at the forefront of driving social change, but for them to scale they must attract significantly more capital. Read More

In the next decade, local impact investment funds will be an essential asset for most place-focused foundations. Why? Principally, communities need this type of flexible investment. The mission-aligned foundations leading these funds demonstrate their willingness to remain relevant in their communities – putting distance between themselves and other financial services companies and online tool providers. Read More

Gurtin supports social impact by investing in municipal bonds that fund essential government projects, like improving access to affordable housing. We also support social impact in communities by investing in municipal bonds that finance projects like parks and recreation facilities, libraries, public transit, bridges, and other infrastructure that benefit underserved communities. Read More

Self-Help believes in investing in communities on the front lines of harm from climate change. Our mission: create and protect economic opportunity for all with a focus on the underserved, including people of color, women, and low-income families and communities. We loan to environmental projects like recycling, land conservation, affordable housing, and solar energy. Read More

Because public and private equity investing garner most of the attention of impact investors, the liquid “cash” portion of the portfolio is often overlooked despite the availability of a variety of socially impactful options that may even yield better returns at a lower risk than traditional approaches. Read More

The megatrends underlying the transition to a more sustainable economy, such as climate change and widening inequality, are global issues. Companies are addressing sustainability risks and opportunities globally. We look at the ESG quality phenomenon and other takeaways about risk and performance from our experience managing the Pax MSCI EAFE ESG Leaders Index Fund. Read More

Acquisition International magazine, based in London, has announced the winners of the 2019 International Finance Awards. The Award recognizes the companies, and individuals, within the finance industry who have shown excellence and dedication in their field. The GreenMoney Journal team is honored to receive this award. Read More

The Fund focuses on place-based community investments primarily utilized by financial institutions. It has evolved to include 18 impact themes and diversified its client base through the launch of Institutional Shares for religious organizations, non-profits, foundations, and HNW investors along with Retail Shares for individual investors. Read More

Natural Investments has been named a Best For The World honoree in recognition of their work to improve the lives of their customers through the use of their financial products or services. Ranking in the top 10 percent of all 3,000 B Corps for their positive impact on society and the environment. Read More

Ariel Investments, LLC Founder, Chairman and CEO John W. Rogers, Jr. has announced that current President Mellody Hobson has been elevated to the position of Co-CEO. Hobson’s promotion recognizes her longstanding commitment and unparalleled leadership for the last 20 years. Read More

ImpactAssets, a nonprofit financial services firm that increases the flow of capital into investments delivering financial, social and environmental returns, celebrated its ten-year anniversary by announcing in June that AUM in The Giving Fund, its donor advised fund, have topped $1 billion. Read More

In Asia, ESG investing encompasses large, transformational changes. It focuses on companies that can potentially deliver profits and growth from improving the quality of life across the region. Within this context, Matthews Asia launched the ESG Fund more than four years ago. The Fund seeks to capitalize on the growth of the region by investing with an ESG lens. Read More

This is the first of two articles featuring short profiles on a number of the International SRI Mutual Funds, which invest in companies outside the United States, including from Domini Impact Investments, Thornburg Investment Management, Boston Common Asset Management. Read More

This is the second of two articles featuring short profiles on a number of the International SRI Mutual Funds, which invest in companies outside the United States, including from Calvert Research and Management, Green Century Funds, Praxis Mutual Funds, and Mirova. Read More

One of GreenMoney’s main goals since 1992 has been to bring our readers more clarity about their relationship with money as it informs so much of how we approach our daily lives on a variety of levels. Assessing our relationship with money requires honest self-examination. Here are my latest thoughts on the topic. Read More

“Look at my choices Mija, and be sure to make better ones.” This is what my mother used to say to me when I was young. I was a happy and precocious child and my mother took great care of me. She made our home a place of love, laughter, learning, and music. Then our lives took a financial turn for the worse. Read More

I’ve always hated talking about money. Growing up in a rich family, I learned through the ­behavior of those around me that money and materialism were evil. Instead of being used in love and service, money was weaponized and became a tool to manipulate and control behavior. Read More

This new Report identifies 67 investment approaches to grow and develop Regenerative Agriculture capital opportunities. It showcases over $320 billion in investments that focus on sustainable food and agriculture. Read More

Growing up as a little girl in Brooklyn, I had no idea that we were low to middle income. Our community was rich and full. We loved and respected each other, our neighbors and our friends. We never talked about money but somehow we managed to “manage.” Then at age 11, I experienced what not having money meant. Read More

My money story began in a middle-class neighborhood in the suburbs of Seattle. My father was a teacher and worked evenings selling financial products to bring in additional income. My mom stayed home and raised three children. My parents modeled frugality in their money choices: reusing and getting the maximum life out of everything from clothes to tools. Read More

Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility’s annual award was created to honor those whose work has provided a strong moral foundation and an enduring record of demonstrated influence on corporate policies. Read More

Praxis, a leading faith-based, SRI family of mutual funds from Everence Financial, is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary. Since 1994, Praxis has achieved a number of important milestones in stewardship investing. Read More

“What creates financial success?” “How do you move from zero savings to financial security?” Those were my burning questions for many years. Now, things have improved personally. We have a city home and a country cabin. The desire to own a home and to have financial security springs from being homeless for a while in my teens. Read More

Buildings are a big part of the sustainability challenge, and thus a huge opportunity. The construction and operations of buildings account for 40% of global energy use, 30% of energy-related GHG emissions, approximately 12% of water use, nearly 40% of waste, and employs 10% of the workforce. Read More

Combating climate change requires our economy to make a comprehensive transition to clean energy, where rooftop solar is part of the solution. The buildings all around us consume so much power and generate so much carbon. But the rooftops of those buildings have high technical potential to generate solar power right at the point where it is consumed. Read More

Improvements in building efficiency provide cost savings to landlords and tenants. Impactful initiatives include installation of more efficient LED lighting; upgrades to HVAC; smart metering; reductions in water consumption; and waste management. Also sustainably-managed structures typically command higher rents, and experience lower vacancy and higher tenant satisfaction. Read More

Domini Funds shareholders use their investment dollars to make a difference by helping build a world of universal human dignity and ecological sustainability. The Report details how Domini works for change on behalf of fund shareholders. Read More

GTS, tracking private green investments since 2009, has released its 2019-20 Report. New capital continues expanding clean energy, green construction, corporate R & D and a widening of the healthier plant-protein food sector. Read More

One year into its campaign to reach $1 trillion in U.S. private sector investment in renewable energy and enabling grid technologies by 2030, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) releases their progress report. Read More

The Dutch Government recently issued one of the largest green bonds ever: 6 billion euros. This bond for low-carbon development and sustainable water management will finance natural infrastructure solutions. Read More

Fast-changing technologies and global risks are forcing companies and cities to become more adaptive, and business models to evolve and diversify. This challenging time has many opportunities to create a clean economy that increases economic and community resilience. Read More

Consumer demand for healthier products continues to grow. With concerns ranging from the cost of healthcare to the effects of food and agriculture on climate change, consumers of all ages are opting for natural, organic and functional foods and beverages, nutritional supplements, natural medicines and other eco-friendly products from mission-based companies that share their values and address their concerns. Read More

The idea of “nose-to-tail” dining, shorthand for using as much of an animal as possible, has no field-grown counterpart. What about the grains that make up so much of our agricultural production and diet? Where is our “seed to stalk?” In Maine, the craft beer industry is making sure that grain is valued from field to glass to trough. Read More

This report brings together results from regional market studies by the sustainable investment forums in Europe, the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa. Read More

As Americans become more aware of the environmental and health benefits of organics, we are presented with an increasing number of opportunities to align our investments with our lifestyle choices – by investing in the companies and agricultural operations that are driving organic innovation and bringing natural products to the marketplace. Read More

The report highlights the progress made over the past year toward their 2020 goals with important insights and information for all stakeholders, including investors, customers and employees. Read More

This report provides best practices and practical steps for retirement plans, corporations, educational institutions, philanthropic foundations, family offices, nonprofits and other asset owners. Read More

ESG investing has garnered more and more acceptance and enthusiasm in the market as investors tackle some of the most urgent environmental and social issues of our time, from climate change to social inequalities. I have long been passionate about women’s advancement and inclusion in the workplace. Read More

New survey shows that 75% say their firms now offer sustainable investing strategies, up from 65% in 2016 because of increased expertise, better data and impact reporting. Read More

The industry’s first publicly available, searchable resource of impact investing fund managers sees record number of applicants and features firms that manage $28.5 billion in assets. Read More

The Rockefeller Foundation and Omidyar Network join the new Catalytic Capital Consortium and call for more flexible impact investments and more collaboration. Read More

The aggregate retirement program has a focus on SRI, offering comprehensive, bundled 401(k) plan services with full fiduciary outsourcing capabilities for companies. Read More

US SIF’s Lisa Woll on how women are moving forward with investments in sustainability-focused products and strategies with 84 percent of women expressing interest in SRI. Read More

When I began working to make boards more gender diverse in 2001, the percentage of women on the boards of large companies in the United States was around 12 percent. By 2011, women had gained a few more seats at the table, and by 2016 women held 21 percent of board seats at Fortune 500 companies. Read More

Homewise is working with women, particularly those of low-to-moderate income, to build assets through successful and sustainable homeownership. Each year single women and single mothers make up 30 percent of new Homewise homeowners; that’s nearly 200 New Mexico women buying a home of their own and building financial stability and wellbeing every year. Read More

At the financial firms I am involved with, Domini Impact Investments has five employee equity-owning managers in leadership. Four of the five are female. The Sustainability Group has four partner-level members and three of the four are female. I feel pretty secure in stating that female leadership is possible, even within the financial asset management field. Read More

Impact investing has emerged as a major force in philanthropy. Last year GIIN conducted a survey showing that the estimated value of the impact investing sector doubled between 2017 and 2018, increasing from $114B to $228B. There’s a growing demand for investments that actively produce measurable positive social and environmental outcomes. Read More

Place-based impact investing is sparking community development projects that create more just, equitable local economies, and build prosperous, vibrant communities. Place-focused foundations, like community foundations and family foundations are exploring ways to complement their traditional grant-making with local investments that can catalyze positive community change. Read More

Philanthropy is transforming to incorporate advocacy and investing, presenting new opportunities to create change and measure impact. Among a field of new players, vehicles and approaches, one strategy gaining traction is SRI investing. As philanthropies broaden beyond traditional grant making they are reassessing and reallocating their financial as well as non-financial resources. Read More

Often, the most compelling impact investments are made, not found. That phrase describes how foundations and impact investors use “catalytic capital” to support social and environmental progress. These patient, flexible, “catalytic” investments take on more risk and/or accept a lower return than commercial capital to finance gains that would not otherwise be possible. Read More

Sustainable companies don't just make the world a better place, they offer higher returns and longer lifespans according to Corporate Knights. Read More

These foundations, large and small, are beginning to move their endowment assets to align with their values–-and their missions keep expanding. Read More

Case Foundation’s CEO Jean Case’s new book, Be Fearless, profiles leaders who have used their desire to solve a problem, to drown out their fears or risk of failure. Read More

Sourced in Peru and roasted locally by Stolen Sun Craft Brewing & Roasting Co., Impact Coffee supports the empowerment and promotion of women-grown coffee. Read More

The structure and mission of credit unions uniquely positions them to effectively provide a range of basic financial services critical to Native communities. Read More

The 12th annual edition looks at key trends and dozens of metrics assessing how, and how much, companies are moving the needle on the world’s?most pressing environmental challenges. Read More

Thinking about and talking about money and investing has a huge impact on how we understand ourselves, our families and our relationships. My advice to millennials about money is to find spiritual practices that support you as you navigate financial conversations and decisions. Read More

As a millennial, my generation has little trust in large institutions — from governmental offices to our large banks and financial institutions. We want our money aligned with our values and desires for a more sustainable planet. We are poised to catalyze big shifts in how financial services operate. Read More

I rose to the podium, looked at Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson, and asked “Why does Exxon fund climate-denying organizations [like ALEC], when you publicly support a carbon tax?” Tillerson deflected the question saying “we would never impinge on ALEC’s free speech.” Two years later, Exxon ceased funding them. Read More

Companies that are winning at attracting millennials are nailing it on culture and values. My career path is a perfect example. I left a large mutual fund company to join a sustainable investing firm because its focus on investing for both performance and impact resonated with me. Read More

I examine my personal finances by asking myself three overarching questions: How am I making money? How am I investing it? And how am I spending it? As a full-time social entrepreneur, I routinely ask myself if I’m making money in a way that allows me to have a real impact. Read More

Millennials see investment decisions as a way to express their social, political and environmental values. With CNote, we make investing simple and impactful. Our members’ money works towards revitalizing communities; building affordable housing; and getting women and minorities business loans. Read More

The fund focuses on solutions to major global transitions such as demographics, environmental issues, technological advances, and governance changes by investing in companies with a positive impact on the UN SDGs, while avoiding companies that have a negative impact. Read More

The Next Economy Index’s strong track record demonstrates that climate change-focused, innovation-driven investing offers an effective way to preserve and create wealth. The strategy currently holds 115 publicly traded companies. Read More

Business can be a force for good, here’s 100 companies that are growing by doing good. Real Leaders, with Big Path Capital and B Lab, rank the top companies applying capitalism for greater profit and greater positive impact. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

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. Read More

Amidst all of the important improvements in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data, all of the thoughtful research reports, and all innovative new investment options, another, deeper trend has taken root. As we turn towards 2019, we see increasing evidence that Systems Thinking is becoming more prevalent and influential throughout corporations and the sustainable investment community. This subtle, under-the-surface development is one of the most vital requirements for effective long-term investing. Systems Thinking aims to understand the whole, in addition to the individual parts. Read More

For investors interested in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies, a regionally diversified approach can help capture global growth. In the coming year, Asia offers a prime opportunity to invest in profitable companies addressing critical ESG challenges through robust and sustainable business models. ESG innovation in Asia is evident across many sectors, including health care and pharmaceuticals, technology, finance and alternative energy. To fully capture the growth and profits of the world’s most innovative ESG companies, it is worth considering Asia. Read More

As engaged investors, we need to persuade the companies in our investment portfolios to say loudly and clearly: We will no longer tolerate gender inequality — on our boards, in our executive suites, in our workplaces or in our supply chains. Our industry cannot even begin to talk about investing in the transition to a more sustainable global economy unless gender equality is a core component of that transition. Eradicating gender inequality could help unleash perhaps the greatest period of economic growth in the history of the planet. Read More

Investors increasingly seek opportunities to make a social and environmental difference through their impact investment portfolios. Read More

The growth of GLI is a positive development in a year overshadowed by the gender pay gap, lack of women on boards and harassment scandals. Read More

As You Sow released its fifth ‘Invest Your Values’ screening tool, Gender Equality Funds, an online resource that can be used by any investor. Read More

Incorporating ESG factors into an investment strategy has shown to decrease volatility and improve risk-adjusted returns over the long term. Read More

“Water security is the single largest investment opportunity in the years ahead. It is the foundation for healthy people, planet and profit. Water security investments ensure social and environmental returns, as well as possible financial outperformance,” states writer Thomas Schumann. Read More

The Financial Times published an article stating that Larry Fink, CEO of the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, had announced that “sustainable investing will be a core component for how everyone invests in the future.” He further explained that a sustainable investing strategy will lead to higher returns. Read More

With the rising number of “responsible” funds in the early 90s, there wasn’t really an option for Christian conservatives to invest without compromising their beliefs, in life and family values. In 1994, under Art Ally’s leadership, the Timothy Plan unveiled its fund aimed at evangelical Christians. Secular investment firms weren’t thrilled by the arrival of Timothy Plan’s Biblically Responsible Investments, but investors were, and today there are over a dozen successful BRI-based mutual funds with billions in assets. Read More

Each financial seed we plant in each and every field we choose, is only destined for success if all the criteria in the divine mandate has been met. Good seed in good soil and people of integrity managing the process. Unethical practices, policies or products erode human dignity and moral enterprise. Read More

The phrase “What would Jesus do?” emerged in American consciousness during the 1990s as motto for many Christians seeking to regularly reflect on how the moral teachings of Jesus could be reflected in their daily lives. Whether one participates in organized religion or not, the idea of finding a mechanism that calls us to step outside of our personal situation to view things from a different, morally-grounded perspective can have many benefits especially for values-driven investors. Read More

Bill Gates has Breakthrough Energy Ventures investing in radical energy startups capable of drastically cutting global emissions Read More

Investors around the world see sustainable investing as the way of the future. Across all ages, wealth levels and regions. Read More

Most institutional investors believe environmental, social and governance (ESG) integrated portfolios will perform well Read More

Direct investments in companies with social and financial objectives is a dynamic industry with robust activity in the region Read More

The fast growing impact investment theme of GLI has attracted over $900 million in assets from investors around the world Read More

The path from modern Financial Capitalism to Integrated Investing that helps create the World and lives we seek Read More

Renewable Energy was the most-added source of new power generation in 2017. In an increasing number of regions, clean energy is the cheapest source of new electricity. Confidence in the clean energy sector can be seen in the large commitments made by major banking institutions. The public and our investors are grasping the reality of a renewable energy future. Rooftop solar panels are commonplace and are required on new homes in some cities in California. Solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians have become the nation’s two fastest-growing occupations. Read More

At Sunwealth, we invest in a sustainable future by financing diverse renewable energy projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen local resilience and bring the benefits of renewable energy to under-served communities. Since 2014, we have financed over 70 solar installations on rooftops and in open spaces. We are poised to invest over $12 million in solar energy and storage projects in 2018, more than double our 2017 investment. We have a 2019 pipeline of over $40 million in new solar projects that will provide 20 megawatts of solar power across 50 communities. Read More

Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that two-thirds of the world’s power will be generated by renewable resources by 2050. This projection is based on the continuing growth of new renewable power generation projects, primarily wind and solar. Conditions have certainly changed since New Alternatives Fund entered the investment world in 1982. Our Fund’s approach has always been to consider the broad sector of energy and related environmental areas like clean water, clean air, and naturally grown and organic food. Energy is not just the production of electric power we also see conservation and efficiency playing major roles. Read More

New app and platform enables consumers to invest in proprietary portfolios for social good with a low minimum Read More

The new fund invests in companies positioned to benefit from the transition to a more sustainable global economy Read More

A new comprehensive guide for money managers on incorporating sustainable, responsible and impact investing at their firms Read More

The "In Sight of the Clean Trillion" report gives an update on the ever-expanding landscape of investor opportunities Read More

The new credit union focused exclusively on clean energy lending also begins taking deposits and making loans all online Read More

(Fall 2011)  When Holly Mosher read about Muhammad Yunus and the story of Grameen Bank’s microcredit for women in Bangladesh, she was fascinated. Why had an economist and a bank won the prize for peace and not the prize for economics? And how had one man gone from loaning $27 to 42 people, to helping millions of people? With these questions in mind, she embarked on a film about his work. Read More

(Feb 2016) Without a doubt we, the millennial Generation, believe that we can change the world. There is a “change agent” in each and every one of us. How do I know? Well, because we are different. Huge economic, cultural, and social shifts have changed our view on the world, and as a generation, we have demonstrated a desire to leave the world a better place than it was when we entered. Read More

(July/Aug 2017) The responsible investing movement that we have started and shaped has reached the end of the beginning, with a broad and strong foundation that will evolve to provide the superstructure of our society’s continuing struggle to address and solve its greatest challenges. Our efforts are working, and we are being joined in our mission by more investors worldwide every day. Read More

(Fall 2012) Twenty years from now, we will have either successfully transitioned from our current economic growth paradigm to a new model of Sustainable Capitalism or we will be suffering the calamitous consequences of our failure to do so. Likewise, sustainable investing will either remain a niche strategy or it will have supplanted mainstream investing. Read More

(Aug 2014) Does the challenge of making informed decisions about your life seem far more complex today than it did even a short time ago? Does the future—yours, and that of the world—feel highly uncertain, perhaps even precarious? Read More

(July/Aug 2017) Responsible investing momentum is strong. For me, and for many of my generation, the future is clear: we are well on our way towards the installation of a vitally important system-level force for good, one that will protect future generations, indeed the planet itself. We have laid the groundwork for a financial system which functions globally to protect people and the planet. Read More

(Sept 2015) Today's environmental challenges are bigger than ever. And a rapidly growing population coupled with climate change will only exacerbate current threats. The environmental movement must try new approaches and scale up our work so it’s bigger, better and faster. Read More

(Feb 2014)  “Eliminating poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice… Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. People have created and tolerated poverty. And it is people who will overcome it.” In 2013 on Nelson Mandela’s 95th birthday, children with crayons in Kazakhstan drew his face on the sidewalk. At the UN, Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan, who has been shot in the head by the Taliban, says Mandela has influenced her and she forgives her shooters. Later that year the world mourned his death but we still harvest lessons from this monumental man who has taught us so much, and left so much more to do. Read More

The US SIF Foundation recently released a guide for financial advisors on how to incorporate sustainable, responsible and impact investing into their practice. The Financial Advisor Roadmap was prepared with insights from financial advisors and other industry professionals. Read More

Ethical Markets released in late April its 2018 Green Transition Scoreboard® finding $9.3 trillion of private investments in green sectors worldwide, cumulatively since 2007. Read More

Published to coincide with International Equal Pay Day in April 2018, the first edition of a new annual scorecard ranking 33 of the world’s largest financial, technology, and retail companies on their current gender pay disclosures, performance, and commitments shows Apple, Nike, Starbucks, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan with the highest grade (A-), while Facebook, Goldman Sachs and Walmart are among 11 companies that share the lowest grade (F). Read More

New report from Toniic provides evidence that investors are going farther, faster and deeper into impact, while meeting their targeted financial and impact returns. 100% impact portfolios are getting easier to build, the pioneers behind them are accelerating their shift to deeper impact, and investors are meeting their goals for both financial and impact returns, reveals a new Toniic Institute report released in late May 2018. Read More

Iroquois Valley Farms has reached a milestone: This spring we added the 50th farm to our portfolio. Our farmland REIT provides secure land tenure for 35 farm families working 9,000 acres of farmland. More families will be joining us soon. We have seen strong and steady growth in the value of our investment portfolio since 2007. We recently launched a new offering to raise $20 million to help fund more farmers. We also offer Soil Restoration Notes to investors, with a portion of the returns going to help our farmers transitioning to organic. Read More

The challenge is clear for global food and beverage companies: as the population rises, the agriculture sector they rely on will need to produce more food with fewer greenhouse gas emissions while shifting toward farm practices that conserve or restore diminishing water and soil resources. Sustainable sourcing strategies and supply chain transparency are essential for the food and beverage industry to ensure that their suppliers are making these critical changes. As significant owners of and lenders to companies, investors can be a major force in driving more sustainable practices. Read More

Farming, like investments, carries some degree of risk. How SFP mitigates these risks is unique and key to the opportunity. Market demand for organic food is the fastest growing segment in grocery stores. Geographically, our established operating network of farms is spread out to minimize the impact of local weather. Our distributed farm network is focused on areas with the best available soil and linking that network allows us to negotiate better offtake agreements and discounts on inputs. In the event of any crop damage due to weather, which diminishes yields, we have crop insurance. Read More

For the past several years Domini Impact Investments has been incubating a small portfolio that, in addition to other standards, applies a gender lens of the simplest nature. In order to qualify for stock purchase, the company must employ one female on the executive management team or have one female on the board of directors. The portfolio is unconstrained, multi-cap, global and opportunistic. Within this Wild West of a universe, this one standard has produced portfolio management challenges, personal challenges and frustration well beyond anything I had anticipated. Read More

My path to finance has not been unusual; throughout my childhood, my parents ran an investment management and brokerage firm, so I grew up in the industry. Watching and admiring the dedication my parents put into their business and their careers showed me the value of entrepreneurship, independence, and of planting a garden and tending it. I’m grateful for the lessons in responsibility, hard work, and drive that have been ingrained in me, and early on it became obvious to me that finance could and should be a tool for good. Read More

From wealth advisors and fund managers, to start up entrepreneurs, to company leadership at the board and executive levels, intuitively we have long known the need for greater gender diversity within the financial industry. Research shows a variety of benefits for companies, and their investors, that embrace inclusivity. With findings that show diverse teams are more innovative (leading to increased revenue generation) and that companies with women in leadership perform better during times of financial uncertainty, we are well on our way to making a strong financial case for inclusion. Read More

Corporate Annual Meetings will Reflect Opioid Crisis, Gun Laws, Board Diversity and more Read More

Impact Investing Success Story: Lending in Developing Countries - Improving Lives and Livelihoods While Generating Market Rate Returns Read More

Industry’s only free, searchable resource of impact investing fund managers features firms that manage $29.2 billion in assets Read More

Global businesses can and must take the lead on environmental and social issues, because the future of sustainability is now in the hands of worldwide brands, their consumers, and the NGOs holding them accountable. Read More

Sustainable Investment Firm Withdraws Pay Equity Shareholder Resolutions at Discover, HP, KeyCorp and US Foods Read More

By Bonnie Foley-Wong, Pique Ventures Some impact fund managers began their careers in traditional venture capital whilst other investors have found success previously as entrepreneurs. Read More

Investors are more interested in gender equality than they ever have been before, judging by things like proxy voting and shareholder engagement. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, recently has signaled in its proxy voting guidelines that all-male boards are not acceptable, and noted that boards should have at least two women on them. Pax World has been voting like that for years and we know our impact will be multiplied if other investors vote similarly. Another large investor, State Street, reportedly voted against directors of 400 companies whose boards were all-male Read More

Every weekday, instead of a private car, Benno Dorer takes Bay Area Rapid Transit from San Francisco to Clorox’s headquarters in Oakland. The Clorox CEO buys sustainable products, including his company’s Brita water Read More

NIA Impact Capital Launches RIA To Provide Wealth Advisors with Impact Investing and Women-Focused Investment Solutions Nia Impact Capital (www.niaimpactcapital.com) announced in February 2018 the launch of its women-led Registered Investment Advisor Read More

Bigger, faster, more. Whether due to policy, technological or climatic changes, companies face an onslaught of challenges that are happening sooner and more dramatically than many could have anticipated. Investors in turn are Read More

New research finds businesses are making money from planting trees and growing sales as rapidly as 10 times per year Many investors don t know what restoration is or realize the Read More

Consider these recent developments - California emerged from drought in 2017; fewer companies reported impacts associated with water scarcity; and the average freshwater intensity of companies in the MSCI ACWI Index dropped by 15 percent. While these are positive short term signals for investors concerned with water scarcity, 2017 was also the most costly in U.S. history for natural disasters. This underscored the thinking behind a key trend that MSCI ESG Research identified last year - institutional investors are shifting their portfolio analysis from the measurement of regulatory risks to physical risks. Read More

Water is a systemic risk to investors, as in many parts of the United States and other areas of the world this precious resource is in danger. Investors and market players should be deepening their research and investment process to tackle water risks, often hidden in holdings across all asset classes. As investment advisors, how do we first protect our clients from these risks, and how do we position these same clients to benefit from the growth opportunities in companies that are providing innovative systems, products and services to solve water quantity, quality and resilience issues? Read More

Over the past decade, the term sustainability has caught on in the boardroom, courtroom and living room. While the concept has reached the mainstream, opportunities abound for implementation.

Ten trends to watch for Read More

We are pleased to announce that Pat Miguel Tomaino, Associate Director of Socially Responsible Investing at Zevin Asset Management LLC, has been honored in Bloomberg Businessweek’s inaugural Bloomberg 50 issue. The issue highlights Read More

A quick guide to the minimums, fees, investment types and impact of leading online advisors for retail investors. As the socially responsible, ESG (environmental, social and governance), and impact investing[1] movements have gained Read More

What never grows old? The burning desire of youth to reinvent the world. That ambition and impatience is on full display in Forbes 2018 edition of the Forbes 30 Under 30, our annual Read More

From UBS Intellectual Capital (Dec 2017) Technological advancements are not only enabling increased automation and connection across many businesses, potentially transforming business models, but also enabling greater awareness of global economic and social Read More

Amalgamated Bank (“Amalgamated”) and New Resource Bancorp, the parent company of New Resource Bank (OTC: NRBC; together, “New Resource”) announced in mid-December 2017 the signing of a definitive merger agreement by which Amalgamated Read More

The financial services industry is a bit obsessed with trying to understand the next generation of investors – the notorious millennials. And for good reason – millennials represent the largest generation in history with a spending power of over $1.5 trillion. Many millennials are well into their wealth accumulation phase and have already begun to inherit $30 trillion in the largest wealth transfer ever. As a millennial working in SRI, I believe, that for everyone, money is inherently personal, complicated and ultimately a vehicle to attain the goal of living a rewarding life. Read More

Walter Cronkite was the legendary CBS News anchorman known as “The most trusted man in America.” In 2003, I had the chance to go sailing with Mr. Cronkite, we talked constantly while tacking our way through the waters off the British Virgin Islands and while visiting his friend, Remar Sutton, who I worked for. Having the opportunity to talk for hours on end with such an iconic figure was life changing for me. From those wind-swept discussions the FoolProof Foundation was born. The big question we needed to answer was: is financial education, as it exists, working? Read More

There are two opinions about millennials floating around society. The first is that our generation is lazy, and we feel "entitled." The second is that we are going to change the world because we don't settle for following in the set paths that have been established before us. As a millennial that has had to work hard on all levels, including being a 4x Olympian and an entrepreneur in financial planning, I agree with the second opinion. Millennials are different than previous generations, but that's how we are going to set ourselves apart. Read More

GMJ: Why did you write this book?

Morgan: Impact investment—the practice of investing not just for profit, but also for social benefit—is the trillion-dollar trend most people have never heard of. There’s Read More

Edited by Jed Emerson

Practical guide to impact investing lays out how individual investors, family offices, financial advisors and foundations can generate social and environmental value through capital investing.

With greater demand than Read More

Investor Activist/Sustainable Wealth Manager Championing Gender Pay Equity in Tech, Banking and Retail Industries Earns Unique Spot in Special Issue of Businessweek; Which Sector is Next?

“The Bloomberg 50” list of the Read More

Vert Asset Management, a dedicated ESG investment manager, recently announced the launch of the Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund (Ticker: VGSRX), an open-end mutual fund which seeks to achieve long-term capital appreciation. Read More

A new report, published in Dec 2017 by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), provides a comprehensive survey of the state of impact measurement and management (IMM) in the impact investing industry. The Read More

Domini is proud to announce that we have recently signed the Stockholm Declaration, re-affirming our support for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The Stockholm Declaration was organized by the GRI Read More

Last year, as CEI conducted a strategic review as part of our leadership transition, we found ourselves asking the same questions that were being asked across the country, on both sides of the political aisle. At the heart of those questions was the recognition that our economy is not working for everyone. And a major takeaway was that rural regions, gateway cities, and the people who live there were being left behind. Maine-based CEI is taking strides to change that, from investing in small businesses, job training programs, and pragmatic policy solutions. Read More

After decades of working at the intersection of community development, philanthropy and community economic development, we see a significant shift in how philanthropic assets are being used to build vibrant, prosperous communities. Many place-focused foundations are seeking to complement their grantmaking with local investments to create greater impact in their own communities. There’s a growing recognition that traditional grantmaking is not enough to address complex, tough community issues like early childhood education, affordable and energy efficient housing, good jobs and career opportunities for all. Read More

Homewise is a non-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that offers a comprehensive suite of homeownership services for low-to-moderate income individuals and families, many of whom have been largely underserved by traditional lending institutions. Our services include financial education and coaching, real estate brokerage, mortgage lending, home improvement and refinance lending, real estate development and disinvested property rehabilitation. Each of our services is designed to bolster our other services, providing a one-stop resource for creating an accessible and affordable path to successful homeownership. Read More

Community Capital Management is an RIA, based in South Florida, with offices in Boston and Charlotte. The firm manages just over $2.4 billion, most of which is in our CRA Qualified Investment Fund (CRA Fund). "CRA" stands for the Community Reinvestment Act, which regulates banks within the U.S. The CRA Fund is a market-rate, fixed income fund that invests in U.S.-based community impact investments. Community impact investments focus on positive criteria for inclusion in a portfolio and can include a wide range of intentions such as affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and small business development. Read More

The annual award recognizes Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investment Industry Leadership. Richard Liroff and Cliff Feigenbaum named as 2017’s most influential leaders in SRI. The SRI Conference, which hosted more than 800 investment professional Read More

Samsung Trails Behind Apple in New Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics. Average Grade Across 17 Companies Is D+, Indicating Long Way to Go Toward Sustainable IT.

The 2017 Guide to Greener Electronics (the Read More

Green Century Capital Management announced recently that its assets under management (AUM) reached a new landmark, exceeding $500 million as of October 20, 2017. Green Century is the investment advisor to the first Read More

ImpactAssets announced in September 2017 the addition of new lower minimum, high-impact investment options within the ImpactAssets Giving Fund (www.impactassets.org), its donor advised fund. The four private debt and equity investments are managed Read More

The Center for Responsible Business at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, announced in October, in collaboration with The SRI Conference, the winner of the 2017 annual Moskowitz Prize. The Read More

At Appleseed Capital, we have watched developments in SRI and ESG with great satisfaction. Having launched the Appleseed Fund nearly 11 years ago, we are proud to have been a participant in the long-term movement to align investments with values. As we look forward to 2018 and beyond, we expect to see the recent trends surrounding SRI investing to remain solidly intact. We believe that more and more traditional investors and asset managers will come to understand the value, both social and financial, of investing with a purpose, and we are confident that the Sustainable Responsible Impact Investing industry will continue to evolve in response to the changing political and economic environment. Read More

Aligning the capital markets more directly with the urgent needs we face as a society to halt environmental destruction and reverse decades of worsening inequality must be our priority for 2018. Alignment needs to occur at every level, across the global markets. Despite the tremendous efforts behind the Paris Climate Accord, formalization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and a long history of other efforts to change the course of climate change and inequality, we are not making nearly the progress needed. The 1,700 signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, which represent $70 trillion of assets and a wave of press about ESG investing, have not gotten us on track yet. Read More

Looking into 2018, higher corporate earnings – inevitable with the new lower taxes rates – ought to lead to the sort of volatility-free rise in the stock market that 2017 saw. Further, employment is full in this country; emerging economies continue to grow at rates that exceed those of developed economies; exciting new industries such as software-as-a-service, alternative energy storage and the internet of things arise with regularity fueling dynamic growth. Then there's the other picture. There are two enormous longer-term and permanent threats to my cheerful scenario. China is the macro geopolitical one and the other is due to climate change. Further, there are three short-term unavoidable threats, also worth acknowledging. Read More

Combination of Sustainable Investment Leaders Will Significantly Expand their Investment Management, Global Research and Client Service Capabilities Pax World Management LLC (Pax), investment adviser to Pax World Funds and a pioneer in Read More

In response to rapidly growing demand for sustainable, responsible and impact (SRI) investing, the US SIF Foundation recently released a new guide for retail investors, “Getting Started in Sustainable and Impact Investing.” This Read More

LIFT Economy was recently recognized for creating extraordinary positive impact as a business based on an independent, comprehensive assessment administered by the nonprofit B Lab. Honorees are featured on B the Change, Read More

Financial technology provider ImpactUs announced in Sept and October the onboarding of six additional issuers to its impact investing platform, ImpactUs Marketplace. The Marketplace is a community-driven fintech platform offering institutions, individuals and Read More

Change Finance, a majority women-run asset manager, announced in October the launch of its first ETF. The Change Finance Diversified Impact U.S. Large Cap Fossil Fuel Free ETF (CHGX) is the only ETF Read More

It began with a magic trick. When I was young a friend of my father's would pull a quarter out from behind my ear, and then make it disappear again. This became an apt metaphor for my relationship with money: one moment there and the next moment gone, feeding two powerful feelings about money: insecurity and lots of fear about never getting it back. My next memory of money was of being gifted with Kennedy silver half dollars on my birthdays (one for every year). Not realizing their worth, I spent most of them, but when I moved some years ago I found a stash of them in a small black bag. Read More

It’s Monday morning, the beginning of a new week. The day starts with greeting the sunrise from our garden that faces to the East. A few minutes of taking in the energy that provides us so many benefits every day, and then some meditation, establishes the foundation for all else. After a stroll in the garden it is time to enter into the technological universe with a quick review of Bloomberg.com and WSJ.com. What is happening on the global stage and in the financial markets? How are the markets doing and how might global factors and the events of the day impact the people that I work with? Read More

As a child, money was tight; often a stressful topic at our house. Money messages included being prudent, entrepreneurial and thrifty. I wore hand-me-down clothes, planted seeds in our victory garden and overheard as my parents argued over whose turn it was to pick up the food stamps. My father taught math at a local high school and then took to the streets as a Fuller Brush salesman in the evenings. To bring in additional income, my mom corrected high school English papers and my father managed apartments to reduce our rent. I learned about the importance of saving money, of looking for opportunities, and of working hard. Read More

For my first 40 years I lived a life of "noble poverty". When I heard that term I had a visceral reaction in my heart and my gut. I felt deeply understood, experiencing relief having named a condition I had lived with since I was a child. It is "the belief that there is virtue in not having money and that good people do not have it". People with this mindset live by the phrase "it is better to be good and poor than rich and evil". Now I understand that this mindset is based on a false dichotomy that you can have one or the other, and not both. Read More

In northern Montana, Doug and Anna Jones-Crabtree restore soil health while growing organic heirloom and specialty grains, pulse and oilseed crops on 4,700 acres. A thousand miles away in Central Minnesota, the Main Street Project sequesters carbon as it transforms 100 acres of bare ground to a permaculture farm alive with hazelnut trees and foraging chickens. Read More

The SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing, is the industry’s seminal event. The 28th annual conference is right around the corner. Thought leaders, investors, and investment professionals from all corners of the Sustainable, Responsible, Impact (SRI) investing universe convene to gain and share knowledge and strategies that align financial performance with positive change. Conference participants are working to catalyze a shift to a more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable economy. Read More

Leading community development financial institution (CDFI) Virginia Community Capital (VCC) and the nationally recognized Center for Rural Entrepreneurship (CRE) announced in June the launch of LOCUS Impact Investing (LOCUS), a new social enterprise to empower place-focused foundations to invest their capital locally to build prosperous, vibrant communities. Read More

Toniic Institute, the global action community for impact investors recently released T100: Insights from Impact Advisors and Consultants 2017. This is the second report in the T100 Research Project, a longitudinal study of 100% impact investing portfolios of Toniic members. Read More

The world faces a looming challenge of handling our waste, an in creasing percentage of which is made of plastic, which simply does not go away. Plastic usually accounts for up to 20 percent of a municipality’s waste generation by weight, but by volume, the proportion is significantly higher. Most small communities do not have access to solutions, and this is where "catalytic philanthropy," particularly in the resource recovery sector, can make an enormous impact on peoples’ lives on a global basis. Read More

In a continuing and growing commitment to helping investors integrate sustainability considerations into portfolio decisions, Morningstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment research, and Sustainalytics, a leading global provider of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research and ratings, announced in July 2017 that Morningstar has acquired a 40 percent ownership stake in Sustainalytics. The direct investment represents an important milestone in Morningstar’s long-term sustainability strategy and intends to support Sustainalytics’ ability to deliver high-quality, innovative ESG products and services to the global investment community. Read More

When SRI industry leaders look at the future of sustainable investing, our tendency is to pat ourselves on the back for the tremendous progress we have made and make optimistic predictions about the wonderful progress that still lies ahead. While not wanting to be the skunk at the garden party, and while remaining a die-hard optimist when it comes to possibilities, I am more pessimistic about probabilities if we remain on our current course. We need to up our game and here is how. Read More

The SRI field has grown rapidly to nearly $9 trillion and the next decade will bring continued expansion in assets and in the types of investors who control those assets, as well as further growth in the products and services available. From high net worth individuals to retail investors to new robo-advisor platforms all will increasingly bring their assets into SRI. Foundations of all sizes will be changing their investment process to better connect their mission to their endowments and Pension funds, including private sector funds will offer sustainable investment options. Read More

I believe that companies will continue to benefit economically by pursuing excellence in corporate responsibility, especially in the context of climate change and increased resource scarcity. As responsible investing integrates into the mainstream, ESG data will be incorporated into greater numbers and types of investment strategies. Investment firms that can successfully identify companies with leading ESG profiles, strong financials and attractive fundamentals will be the most likely to succeed. Also leadership in the responsible investment industry will require meaningful engagement with portfolio companies on ESG issues. Read More

Where did this begin for me? Was it watching the “Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau,” or the ecology flags we pasted on our bumpers in the early 70s? Or that public service TV spot of the canoeing Native American tearing up as he looked at the litter along the river. Or maybe it was those smog alerts in LA where I grew up. Fast forward to the 80s when I was working at a hospital in the NW. After I chose my 401k plan I soon discovered, as I tried to make more “informed” financial decisions, that the mutual funds had numerous tobacco stocks in their holdings. Wow! At a healthcare institution! A good friend who was a skilled editor decided after much research to join me in writing an article on SRI for the local Journal of Business – they published our first draft. Read More

Responsible investing momentum is strong. For me, and for many of my generation, the future is clear: we are well on our way towards the installation of a vitally important system-level force for good, one that will protect future generations, indeed the planet itself. We have laid the groundwork for a financial system which functions globally to protect people and the planet. My purpose in advocating what I called ethical investing was to build a large enough investor presence that demanded a clean and dignified future for all. Read More

The responsible investing movement that we have started and shaped has reached the end of the beginning, with a broad and strong foundation that will evolve to provide the superstructure of our society’s continuing struggle to address and solve its greatest challenges. Our efforts are working, and we are being joined in our mission by more investors worldwide every day. The UN Principles for Responsible Investment – of which Calvert was a founder – counts 1,700 large investors & $70 trillion in assets. Read More

Eight years ago I received the call asking me to consider joining Trillium Asset Management as CEO. Since that time, we have seen more interest than ever in the field of sustainable investing from a wide variety of institutions, mainstream money managers, and families often driven by women and millennials, bringing assets over to impact. Looking out over the horizon, I see six emerging trends that I believe shed light on the future of sustainable investing. Read More

With income inequality in the United States at record high levels, employee ownership is increasingly being lauded as a potential solution to spreading wealth more broadly. Most recently, research from the National Center for Employee Ownership released in May 2017 shows that employee owners have a household net worth that is 92 percent higher than non-employee owners. They also make 33 percent higher wages, and are far less likely to be laid off. Read More

A report published June by The Investment Integration Project (TIIP) examines the opportunities, challenges, and breakthroughs needed for investors to finance the circular economy. Written by William Burckart (TIIP) and Jamie Butterworth (Circularity Capital), Investing in the New Industrial (R)evolution: Insights for asset owners and managers financing the circular economy details how investors and corporations are incorporating global issues related to the health, food, and energy systems, as well as others, into their investment and production design processes, respectively. Read More

The for-profit subsidiary of a West Side nonprofit that provides transitional jobs for the formerly incarcerated in its production of local honey and honey-infused skincare products; a company that employs adults with autism founded by the father of an affected child; a collaborative created to renew a corridor that was once the heart of entertainment and shopping on Chicago’s south and southwest side – these are three of the beneficiaries of the first loans to be made by the impact investment fund established for Benefit Chicago. Read More

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) 2017 Annual Impact Investor Survey is now available. The survey is based on an analysis of the activities of 209 of the world’s leading impact investing organizations, including fund managers, foundations, banks, development finance institutions, family offices, pension funds, and insurance companies. Survey respondents collectively manage nearly USD $114 billion in impact assets, a figure which serves as the best-available “floor” for the size of the impact investing market. Read More

I often refer to Slow Money as "the CSA of investing." As with community-supported agriculture, our efforts revolve around informal, direct relationships and shared risk. Slow Money funding is flowing in a variety of ways in dozens of communities across the US — peer-to-peer lending, investment clubs, and angel networks. Read More

A group of investors has released a new white paper, Impact Investing in Sustainable Food and Agriculture across Asset Classes: Financing Resilient Value Chains through Total Portfolio Activation. Read More

April 18, 2017 marked the publication of an ambitious new book with the audacious goal of showing how to reverse the warming of the planet through a myriad of innovations, many of them led by business for profit. Read More

In Late March, the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA) released its biennial Global Sustainable Investment Review 2016, showing that global sustainable investment assets reached $22.89 trillion at the start of 2016, a 25% increase from 2014. Read More

In late April 2017, the latest Green Transition Scoreboard® (GTS) found that, despite Trump’s anti-green policies, private green investments now total more than $8.1 trillion USD ($8,133,456,730,370). Read More

Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) is in the vanguard of the emerging global impact economy - convening ideas and capital to catalyze world change. We are a network of investors, entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders addressing the world’s toughest challenges through market-based solutions. Read More

Index-fund giant State Street Global Advisors on Tuesday March 7 began pushing big companies to put more women on their boards, initially demanding change at those firms without any female directors. The money manager, which is a unit of State Street Corp., says it will vote against board members charged with nominating new directors if they don't soon make strides at adding women. Firms won't have an exact quota to be in compliance with State Street's mandate, but must prove they attempted to improve a lack of diversity. A firm that doesn't add women, for example, would have to prove to State Street it attempted to cast a wider net and set diversity goals. Read More

In the world of Sustainable and Impact Investing, few ideas have captured the imagination as quickly as Gender Lens Investing (“GLI”). In just the past few years, the number of Gender Lens solutions has grown rapidly. The premise of this Read More

ImpactAssets has released its 2016 impact investing showcase, the ImpactAssets 50 (IA 50), a free online resource for investors and financial advisors. The sixth annual list provides a diversified overview of fund managers representing private debt and equity investments that deliver social and environmental impact as well as financial returns. Read More

For an industry that prides itself on mastering risk management, finding value and uncovering arbitrage opportunities, I think the financial services sector is falling flat. Why? Because most firms are overlooking one of the biggest investment opportunities ever: women. Read More

Community Capital Management, Inc. (CCM), a leading fixed income impact investing manager, announced recently that it has become a signatory to the United Nations-Supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), enhancing its 18-year commitment to incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria into its investment philosophy and processes. Read More

What do an artificial heart, the theater, and Gabon all have in common? From where you’re sitting, probably not much. For me, however, they are key facets of my life that have led me to a career in impact investing. Read More

With a new administration in the White House and major national policy shifts underway, shareholder proponents are focused on preserving key gains they have won in their shareholder resolutions this spring. Investors will consider a near-record number of proposals filed on environmental, social and sustainable governance (ESG) issues for consideration at corporate annual meetings. Proxy Preview 2017, released in early March by As You Sow, the Sustainable Investments Institute (Si2), and Proxy Impact, lists the specific shareholder resolutions filed this year and lays out major themes, including corporate political influence, climate change and economic inequality. Read More

“The fight against the Dakota Access Pipeline has implications beyond the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. It is a fight for everyone who wants clean air, clean water, and gender equality. As governments increasingly prove incapable or unwilling to protect these things, citizens are turning to the market and the market is responding.”

Read More

Once a year, a small group of executives who control trillions of dollars in American companies meet for lunch in Manhattan. Among the things they discuss: pushing for greater say in how companies are run. It is an elite gathering, but you will not see a single man in a suit in the room. The event, called the Women in Governance lunch, underscores a rare corner in finance where women dominate. Read More

It’s hard to imagine a time more hopeful and horrifying for sustainable business. On the one hand are great achievements and milestones. The Paris Agreement on climate change was ratified in 2016, faster than any United Nations pact in history, Read More

A profound political disruption has raised the stakes for clean money. It's a watershed moment for progressive business and investing, and a major bump in the pathway from the old economy to a new one. We must double down to ensure a just, resilient future civilization. Read More

A new report examining 28 of the world’s largest banks on their management of climate-related risks concludes they are failing to align their business practices with targets to keep global temperature rises below two degrees ^[1]. The investor assessment comes despite praising banks for introducing measures such as climate stress testing, carbon footprinting and governance for climate risk. Read More

Sustainalytics, a leading global provider of ESG and corporate governance research, ratings and analytics, recently released a new thematic research report titled, 10 for 2017: Investment Themes in a Changing World. The report looks at the key drivers of 10 ESG investment themes that are expected to create new risks and opportunities for investors in 2017. In addition, the report profiles 10 companies, spanning seven countries and eight industries, that are poised to take advantage of these trends. Read More

Interview with Jon Bishop and Laura Dreese For the past decade, for-profit microfinance company Envest Microfinance has been striving to bridge the gap between microfinance and financial markets to make access to financial services universally available. It has tapped into support from individual and institutional investors to provide sustainable financing to the world’s economically marginalized and geographically isolated populations. Read More

I am a son of the American South and a student of her often troubled history. A native Alabaman, I now live in Atlanta and only recently became aware of an instance where Coca-Cola used corporate power to do social good in the Civil Rights Era. In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the city of Atlanta was preparing a formal dinner befitting of this great honor. Invitations went out to the city’s elites but almost no one responded. Worried, Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen expressed his concerns to Robert Woodruff, the former president of the soft drink giant and still one of the most powerful people in town. Read More

For those of you who know the Case Foundation, we’re bullish on the impact investing movement and the power of private capital for public good. While still a relatively small market, impact investments are surging, with some seeing a trillion-dollar market potential by 2020. Against that context, we do a lot of thinking about what is standing in the way of tipping significantly more interested investors to activated investors. Read More

Let’s take a break from talking about investments. Yeah, yeah. This is a journal about Sustainable Investing, but what is it you’re really after? What’s the reason you’re investing in the first place? Have you thought about where you’d like to end up? How will you know that you accomplished what you’ve set out to accomplish if you haven’t defined your goal? Investments are an important tool but they become more powerful when you view them as a part of your larger financial life strategy. Read More

by Pat Miguel Tomaino, Associate Director of Socially Responsible Investing, Zevin Asset Management Marketers are obsessed with attracting Millennials, and their pitches can look downright desperate. Domino’s invites young customers to order Read More

Offering New Insights and Resources from the Frontier of Impact Investing

Toniic Institute, the global action community for impact investors, recently released T100: Launch “Insights from the Frontier of Impact Investing,” in a presentation at the GIIN Investor Forum 2016 Read More

Examining how the nation’s largest mutual fund companies voted on climate-related shareholder resolutions in 2015 and 2016. The results are revealing.

The vast majority of climate scientists (97 percent) believe climate change is real, but what about your mutual fund company? We examined how the nation’s largest mutual fund companies voted on climate-related shareholder resolutions in 2015 and 2016. The results are revealing. Read More

Just about every big Wall Street firm and big-time philanthropist has recently tried to get in on what’s often called double bottom line investing. The idea is that an investment isn’t just intended to score a high return; perhaps more important, it is supposed to make a significant difference in an area that had been considered un-investable. Goldman Sachs, for example, created social impact bonds to reduce the recidivism rate for adolescent offenders at the Rikers Island correctional facility in New York City. Read More

New condiments, functional beverages and natural foods

Recently, Whole Foods Market’s (NASDAQ: WFM) global buyers and experts announced the trends to watch in 2017. Wellness tonics, products from byproducts and purple foods are just a few top predictions according to the trend-spotters, who share more than 100 years of combined experience in sourcing products and tracking consumer preferences. Read More

This year may ring the bell on a fundamental rethink for investors. Underlying all the major trends we identified for 2017 is a strategic decision point – do we change the way we think about investing, or is this business as usual in a new order? Read More

On December 29, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) rescinded Interpretive Bulletin 2008-2 relating to the Exercise of Shareholder Rights and replaced it with Interpretive Bulletin 2016-01 (www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ebsa/ebsa20161228) which reinstates the language of Interpretive Bulletin 94-2 with some modifications. US Read More

The 7th edition of the biennial Eurosif Market Study reveals double-digit growth for sustainable and responsible investment (SRI). The growth ranges from 30% for stewardship (Engagement & Voting) to 385% for Impact Investment. SRI is growing faster than the broad European investment market with retail investors returning to the market (up 549% since 2013). Read More

Money managers increasingly are incorporating ESG factors into their investment analysis and portfolio construction, driven by the demand for ESG investing products from institutional and individual investors and by the mission and values of their management firms. Of the managers that responded to an information request about reasons for incorporating ESG, the highest percentage, 85 percent, cited client demand as a motivation. Read More

US sustainable, responsible and impact (SRI) investing continues to expand. The total US-domiciled assets under management using SRI strategies grew from $6.57 trillion at the start of 2014 to $8.72 trillion at the start of 2016, an increase of 33 Read More

Sustainable, responsible and impact investing assets now account for $8.72 trillion, or one in five dollars invested under professional management in the United States according to the US SIF Foundation’s biennial Report on US Sustainable, Responsible and Impact Investing Trends Read More

The New Grand Strategy: Restoring America's Prosperity, Security and Sustainability in the 21st Century

A new book by Mark Mykleby, Patrick Doherty, and Joel Makower The New Grand Strategy describes a business plan for America, born at the Pentagon, that embeds sustainability as a strategic national imperative. It tells how a discipline called “grand strategy” has been used in the past to align our economy, foreign policy and governance structures to take on the big challenges of the day, such as fighting fascism or containing communism. Read More

The demand for sustainable and impact investing is growing — investors now consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors across $8.72 trillion of professionally managed assets, a 33 percent increase since 2014. Money managers and institutional investors are scrutinizing Read More

After decades of pioneering the “how” of impact investing, Jed Emerson wants us to shut up and ask “why” and other the deep questions about values. If you want to know what Jed Read More