Publishers Note: From Getting Fired to Winning Awards

By Cliff Feigenbaum, founder and Publisher, GreenMoney

As we celebrate this special 20th Anniversary Year, the media and individuals often ask me why and how I started the GreenMoney Journal (GMJ). I have often shared a story that began when I worked in a large regional hospital in the Northwest. After working and saving for several years I found that the mutual funds in my 401(k) plan held stock in tobacco companies, which seemed contradictory for a healthcare institution. As I brought it to the attention of the hospital CFO I realized that I personally was having trouble making well-informed and ethical financial decisions. An editor friend and I researched and then wrote an article on Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), and much to our pleasant surprise, the local business weekly published it.

More recently though, I realized the story of GreenMoney actually began when I was fired from a job at a local TV station; if I had not been fired I would not have been employed at the hospital. It is also noteworthy because as I was leaving that last day I said to the bosses, “Thank You.” That surprised all of us, especially me, though it was an unrewarding job. Also perplexing at the time was my best friend’s response, “Congratulations!”

Getting back to GMJ, after the article was published, we went to work on a small 6-page newsletter, while also giving SRI talks around town. My main theme was to help myself and others become conscious about our relationship with money and its impact, and how to align it with our values. As we worked diligently on subsequent early editions of this new publication, and having left the hospital job, a surprise came in the mail. Well-known activist and author Paul Hawken mentioned GreenMoney by name in the Socially Responsible Business issue of the Utne Reader in the Fall of 1993. Being named by Paul in a national magazine boosted our confidence, and gave us momentum.

Our circulation and SRI contacts expanded, and about two years later, in 1995, the GreenMoney Journal launched its website, GreenMoney.com

Then it happened again, — a huge momentum-building surprise came in 1997 when an acquisitions editor of Bloomberg Press—yes that Bloomberg—asked me to write a book about SRI.

In spite of my elation for the opportunity, I told them I was not sure we could do business together because GMJ believed in “Principles and Profits,” while Bloomberg just believed in Profits. But they convinced me that their company recognized this trend and wanted to be out in front with a book about it. Next, I called some good and very knowledgeable friends, Jack and Hal Brill, who had previously written about the topic and we all agreed to team up. In Spring of 1999 “Investing With Your Values” was released, with an updated version in 2000.

One of things I have valued most about GreenMoney Journal has been meeting lots of people and making friends. The sustainable business and investing community is made up of many wonderful and dedicated individuals and companies.

I will pick up the story of GMJ and its many friends in a future issue because we need to move on. But just know that if you feel called to make a difference in this world and have a vision for how—do it. In spite of many doubters in the early days and the very hard work involved, I felt this was vitally important and I was driven to succeed.

Over the years we have added e-Journals to the mix and recently upgraded our website to meet our design and information ethic – clean, simple and informative but not overwhelming. We are no longer simply an SRI publication, but more widely focused on sustainable business and impact investing. The divisive ‘social’ issues are not as interesting to us as the true bottom line impacts we can achieve by helping corporations and investors reach sustainability and beyond.

Now here’s another of those good surprises: in January I was named to The Top 100 List of Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business for 2013. You can learn more about this award from the Trust Across America organization in our February 2013 issue on our website.

In this Spring 2013 issue you will find another set of great articles, including the continuing series of ICONS Interviews. This one is a discussion between Bennett Freeman of Calvert Investments and Rebecca Adamson of First Peoples Worldwide about the energy and extractives industries to which we are so addicted to in the US and around the world. Next our friend Woody Tasch updates us on his growing organization—Slow Money—and its goal of bringing money back to earth, literally. In these times we need financial organizations with positive community impact—here you will learn about Santa Fe-based Homewise, whose programs should be replicated across the country. Homewise helps qualified people get into their first homes with innovative and financially responsible solutions. We end with the very thorough SRI Trends Report on the financial totals, as well as investing and shareholder trends, in Sustainable and Responsible Investing published by the US SIF.

In closing, we always encourage conference attendance because learning is ever important. This Spring check out the Slow Money Conference in Boulder, CO; the US SIF Conference on Finance for a Sustainable Future in Chicago, IL; and the TBLI Conference in NYC. There are many other great events on our extensive Global Calendar here on GreenMoney.com

Once again we thank our readers and advertisers as we begin the next 20 years,

– Cliff Feigenbaum, founder and publisher,  cliff@greenmoney.com

 

 

 

 

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