Tag: Impact Investing

Calvert commemorates 20th anniversary of Calvert Womens Principles

Calvert Commemorates 20th Anniversary of the Calvert Women’s Principles

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Calverts Womens Principles 20 years reportCalvert Research and Management (Calvert) is pleased to announce the 20th anniversary of the Calvert Women’s Principles, the first global code of corporate conduct focused exclusively on advancing, protecting and investing in women. Developed in 2004 with the support of the United Nations, the Calvert Women’s Principles provide a set of standards for companies to measure progress and serve as a tangible indicator for investors to assess the evolution of gender equity in the corporate community.

“Developing the Calvert Women’s Principles was a significant step forward in 2004 and highlights the role corporations play in driving greater equality,” said Jade Huang, Chief Investment Officer, Calvert.

“The Women’s Principles remain both important and relevant today, serving as a guide for companies to advance equity and inclusion across their employee base while also offering investors a consistent framework to measure progress on a factor that influences company performance.”

Calvert research and academic studies indicate that gender diversity is financially material to equity returns for both U.S. and international large-cap markets, both at the board level and when evaluating equitable advancement opportunities.

Ms. Huang continued, “Fully embracing the Calvert Women’s Principles and building an equitable workforce can be a competitive advantage for corporations.”

Implementing the Calvert Women’s Principles may help companies create strong talent pipelines to ensure equity at all levels of employment.

They focus on seven key areas:

  1. Employment and compensation
  2. Work-life balance and career development
  3. Health, safety and freedom from violence
  4. Management and governance
  5. Business, supply chain and marketing practices
  6. Civic and community engagement
  7. Transparency and accountability

Gender equality has advanced significantly in the two decades since the development of the Calvert Women’s Principles but there is still more progress needed. Globally, companies have advanced female representation on corporate boards towards parity, with some regional differences.

In developed markets, large-cap companies generally exceeded the 30% female board representation threshold. Women remain underrepresented on corporate boards in emerging markets with about half the representation seen in developed markets. However, the broader trickle-down effect from increased gender diversity in the boardroom has not taken place as quickly as anticipated.

“Companies across the globe have made considerable progress incorporating the Calvert Women’s Principles and adhering to the basic tenants,” said Ms. Huang. “We see somewhat of a barbell with strong levels of gender parity at the board and employee level but lacking at the executive and senior management levels.”

 Key facts:

  • Women represent 47% of the U.S. workforce, but hold only 25% of senior-level positions
  • The female-to-male earnings ratio was 82.7% in 2023 for full-time, year-round U.S. workers.
  • In 2023, the S&P Global Market Total Index comprised approximately 15,000 c-suite roles, of which women represented 11.8% of those roles.
  • Research shows that closing the gender gap in labor force participation and management in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries could raise global economic activity by roughly $7 trillion.
  • The World Bank calculates that closing gender gaps in areas like employment and entrepreneurship could increase global gross domestic product by 20%.

“Company culture is an extremely important variable for success, yet difficult to measure,” Ms. Huang continued. “A culture that values different perspectives as a strength can often point to more positive outcomes. Having a framework like the Calvert Women’s Principles enables a more robust and balanced analysis that drives investment decisions focused on competitive returns and positive change.”

About Calvert Research and Management

Calvert Research and Management (Calvert) is a global leader in Responsible Investing, offering one of the largest and most diversified families of responsibly invested strategies. With over 40 years of experience, the firm seeks to generate favorable investment returns for clients by allocating capital consistent with environmental, social and governance best practices and through structured engagement with portfolio companies. Calvert is part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the asset management division of Morgan Stanley.

Additional Articles, Energy & Climate, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

The Spark at the Center of the Universe

Welcome to Global Galactics and The Spark at the Center of the Universe

By Timothy Karsten, Global Galactics

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Timothy Karsten of Global GalacticsImagine a world where 10,000 families or more come together with one powerful mission: to protect our planet, explore the stars and raise a generation of young leaders who will help build a sustainable, compassionate future for Earth and beyond.

That’s the world we dream of, and it’s a future our planet needs. So, when Cliff kindly invited me to share our story, I was thrilled to tell you about Global Galactics and the incredible journey we’re on.

Global Galactics is more than an entertainment brand — it’s a mission-driven company with a purpose. We’re here to inspire the next generation of eco-conscious, empathetic leaders. Through our eco-friendly products, stories and resources, we’re helping families grow together in ways that make both our Earth and our minds healthier and ready for the future of space exploration.

At Global Galactics, we’re not only looking to nurture a love for Earth but also to inspire curiosity about the vast universe beyond. The galactic side of our brand encourages kids to look up, dream big and imagine a future where they might even explore the stars. With Sparky as their guide, children journey to distant planets and stars, learning that they’re part of a much larger story. Our stories and characters introduce them to the wonders of space, and we hope this sense of cosmic curiosity will inspire them to be thoughtful, courageous explorers — whether they’re discovering a new corner of Earth or looking to the skies for what lies beyond. By fostering an early connection to the galaxy, we’re preparing young minds for a future where Earth and space are interconnected, where their actions on our planet have a positive impact elsewhere.

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we create. From the eco-friendly materials in our products to the nature-inspired themes woven into each story, Global Galactics is designed to help children and families feel deeply connected to our planet. Through Sparky and his friends, we’re offering tools for self-leadership, relationship intelligence and environmental stewardship, empowering kids to become caring stewards of their own lives and the world around them.

This mission was inspired years ago by a spirited Jack Russell Terrier named Sparky, whom I found while living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sparky was more than a pet — he was a companion with boundless curiosity, an explorer at heart who brought out the childlike wonder in me. Together, we explored the natural wonders of the Southwest and beyond, from the US to Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa. My wife, Karinna, joined us on many of these journeys, and together, we found ourselves in incredible places, meeting marvelous people and learning from the world around us.

Sparky in Thailand with Timothy and Karinna Karsten, Global Galactics
Sparky in Thailand with Karinna and Timothy Karsten

Sparky and I often visited Teach for America classrooms in the U.S. and Asia, where we shared stories of our adventures, local wildlife and the importance of caring for animals with kids eager to learn. Sparky, in his own way, was a teacher, too — he showed kids what it meant to embrace curiosity, kindness and resilience. He lived a long, healthy life until the remarkable age of 18 years and 10 months, leaving us with an enduring legacy of exploration, compassion and a belief in the power of connection.

After Sparky’s long and joyful life, while spending time on the island of Huahine in French Polynesia, we were inspired by local youth programs to create Global Galactics — a children’s edutainment brand designed to bring families together in a journey of discovery. Partnering with students at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), we began developing characters and story concepts that bring our mission to life, combining adventure, education and empathy into a brand that inspires the next generation to become stewards of Earth and explorers of the universe.

Our first children’s book, The Spark at the Center of the Universe, invites young readers to join Sparky, the adventurous, galaxy-traveling pup, on an inspiring journey across the stars. Through encounters with creatures as small as an ant and as grand as a whale shark, Sparky discovers the incredible truth that every being is at the center of the universe—and that each of us has the power to protect it. This beautifully illustrated story encourages children to see the special importance in all living things and to become true “Global Galactics” — guardians of our planet and explorers of the wonders of the galaxy. Perfect for curious minds, the story sparks a love for nature, science, exploration and the connections that make our world and galaxy extraordinary.

Beyond the book, Global Galactics expands this mission with original songs that bring big ideas to life through music. Our song “Money Flows” uses a fun reggae groove to teach kids how money circulates through the economy, while “Community Disco” introduces the value of community and how people work together based on shared values and organizing principles. These songs engage kids and families alike, making it easy to learn these valuable concepts together.

Our content also includes Sparky’s Everyday Audio Adventures, a kid-friendly, everyday podcast where Sparky explores topics like community, mindful consumption and the circular economy. Each episode is designed to be short and engaging, offering children an entertaining way to connect with ideas that are foundational to sustainability and good citizenship. Our YouTube channel further expands these lessons, with sing-along videos, doodle-animated stories and educational content that children and parents can enjoy together.

For the founders out there, you know the challenges and joys of building a mission-driven venture. And for parents, we know how tough it is to find content that aligns with the future you envision for your children. That’s why we’re here to offer something unique: a blend of education, entertainment and hands-on lessons for building a better world.

We invite you to join us on this journey as we empower young leaders to look up, look within, reach out, and build a future rooted in sustainability and global citizenship. Thank you, Cliff, and to all the readers of The GreenMoney Journal, for giving us this opportunity to share our vision. Let’s make this a galac-tastic adventure together!

To learn more about Global Galactics, visit our website at www.globalgalactics.com and follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

 

Article by Leadership expert and traveling adventurer Timothy Karsten who was inspired to create Global Galactics LLC by his own pup, Sparky, and their nineteen-year journey together across twenty-two countries and all across the United States. With a website that chronicled their travels, the pair took to schools in Los Angeles through Teach for America, along with visiting schools in India and Thailand with a film crew. The eye-opening result was a deep understanding of what was missing for kids. Global Galactics was created to make learning fun and entertaining, providing kids with information and tools to build self-esteem and understand themselves and their place in the world. He lives with his wife and creative partner, Karinna, in Coastal Georgia.

Additional Articles, Energy & Climate, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

Investing in Women in Leadership by Patricia Lizarraga, Hypatia Capital

Investing in Women in Leadership: Results Driven, Sustainable Impact Investing

By Patricia Lizarraga, Hypatia Capital and WCEO ETF

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Patricia Lizarraga of Hypatia Capital and WCEO

When Hypatia Capital started investing in women in leadership, in 2007, there were only 10 women CEOs in the S&P 500. Today there are 50. Why is investing in companies with women who are Chief Executive Officers, considered impact and sustainable investing? Because they bring increased economic output, inclusivity, and performance.

Before we look at what we gain by investing in women in leadership, lets measure what we lose by not including women fully in the economy. Women represent close to 50% of the population but only 47% of the workforce. Every year, McKinsey and Lean In publish the Women in the Workforce report. This research shows that, if women were full participants in the economy, global GDP could increase by $12 trillion by 2025. To reach that higher sustainable growth rate, it is imperative that we develop more inclusive organizations and institutions. How? By having more inclusive leadership.

Are Women More Inclusive Leaders?

Inclusive leadership values and includes people from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The data tells us women are more inclusive leaders. Women CEOs have senior leadership teams that are 80% more diverse than men CEOs. Women CEOs have senior leadership teams that are 36% women, versus 20% women in men’s senior leadership teams. While women CEOs have senior leadership teams are two-thirds men, it is clear they are making greater strides in bringing more points of view into the leadership suite.

Hypatia Capital believes this gender-balanced vision at the top trickles down throughout organizations benefiting your sister, your daughter, your mother, your friend. We believe having more women CEOs is the fastest and most certain way to get women more equal opportunity in their workplaces. The data shows women are more likely to be promoted at a firm with a female CEO. But, because women are less than 10% of all CEOs, one’s chances of working at a firm that has a female CEO are low. Yet, an upward sloping career path makes permanence in the workforce more likely. Thus, the impact of a higher proportion of women CEOs is that women will feel more included, be more likely to stay in the workforce and be promoted. More women promoted? Elimination of the “broken rung”? That is impact.

The impact, however, is also to the bottom line. Data shows that companies with diverse leadership teams tend to perform better financially. According to Blackrock, the largest asset manager in the world, here are three key areas:

  1. Enhanced Financial Performance: Companies with gender diversity across all levels outperformed less diverse companies by an average of 1.2% between 2011 and 2022.
  2. Leadership Representation: Firms where middle management mirrors the overall workforce’s gender representation generated 36 basis points higher risk-adjusted monthly returns compared to peers with less diversity in these roles over 2016-2022.
  3. Cultural Impact: Companies with more women-friendly cultures, as indicated by longer average maternity leaves taken, showed an annualized excess return of 1.07% over the benchmark (Russell 1000 Index) over the past four years.

What’s the Fund?: Hypatia Women CEO ETF at the New York Stock Exchange

Hypatia Capital’s Journey to Sustainable Impact Investing

Hypatia started investing in women in leadership in 2007. While there is no single moment that sparked the concept, my one-time client Gilberte Beaux was certainly an inspiration. Having risen from the depths of a typing pool, she went on to be Sir Jimmy Goldsmiths’ COO, and later CEO of Adidas. At the time I met her in 2004, there were only 8 women CEOs in the Fortune 500. She was my first woman CEO client. She was amazing. I had my Jerry Maguire moment: More Female Clients.

In conducting research for the launch of Hypatia Capital, initially a boutique advisory and M&A firm focused on women in leadership, I discovered Golden Seeds, the pioneering early-stage investment company that shared our investment thesis: balanced leadership outperforms. I joined and invested in their first fund. I subsequently learned of Trish Costello’s vision of democratizing venture investing by offering funds with $10,000 minimums. I invested in Portfolia funds as well.

But why wasn’t there a product that was appropriate for the vast majority of investors? A product that had no income or net worth requirement? An investment one could exit easily? Was investing in women in leadership only for the wealthy?

In 2016, State Street launched the SHE ETF to “help address gender inequality in corporate America by offering investors an opportunity to create change with capital and seek a return on gender diversity.” I invested immediately, and still hold shares. But their three top holdings are: Meta, Apple and Microsoft. I believe it is the large cap algorithm that drives allocation, not the women focus.

In 2018, YWCA and Impact Shares launched the WOMN ETF. Again, I am a proud investor. I love their commitment to equality. But again, their large cap orientation makes their largest three holdings: Meta, Apple and Amazon.

WCEO: Only Women CEOs – Because Change Starts at the Top

In January 2023, Hypatia launched the WCEO ETF investing in American public companies that have a woman CEO. The WCEO ETF, the first exchange-traded fund focused solely on public companies led by women CEOs, invests in small caps, medium caps and large caps. Our algorithm delivers the Female Factor by eliminating size and industry. Its investment thesis is that female leaders will outperform. Given the additional obstacles women face in corporate America, as documented by McKinsey, they must be extraordinary versus the “average” CEO to make it to that cohort. Outperformance will come from delivering this Female Factor. In addition, by highlighting the performance of women CEOs, we hope to address the negative pattern-matching that affects both individual investors and the boards who have the all-important function of CEO selection. Arming both with performance data is crucial.

The Democratization of Access to Investing in Women in Leadership

Hypatia’s belief is that democracy and access are key to sustainability and impact. It is this belief that led us to design a product that was accessible to all investors. In fact, today, at approximately $31.00 for one share of the WCEO ETF, one invests 21 cents in every American public company with a female CEO, small, medium or large. The WCEO ETF allows all women to invest in all women in leadership. As far as we know, we are the only public product in the world that allows one to do so.

A Call to Action

The work we do in sustainable, impact investing is about building a better world. We have the chance to invest to reflect our values: equity, sustainability, and impact.

Women have a crucial role to play in this transformation. I encourage every woman to consider how to contribute to this movement. Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to pivot into the impact investing space, know that together we make a difference.

With every dollar we invest, every enterprise we support, and every barrier we break down, we are building a future where finance works for everyone.

 

Article by Patricia Lizarraga, the Managing Partner of Hypatia Capital and the visionary leader behind the WCEO ETF. She is committed to advancing female leadership in finance and business, as well as driving sustainable change through impact investing.

Additional Articles, Energy & Climate, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

Finding Resiliency Through Designing an Aligned Life by Jina Penn-Tracy

Finding Resiliency Through Designing an Aligned Life

By Jina Penn-Tracy, Centered Wealth

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Jina Penn-Tracy, Centered WealthAt Centered Wealth, we believe in a guiding principle: the alignment between inner values and outward actions brings a sense of personal wholeness that creates resiliency.

Our mission is to empower clients to make financial decisions that reflect their personal ethics, fostering a sustainable, purpose-driven world.

The journey that led me to impact investment advising has been one of resilience and transformation. It started with a pivotal moment at 19 when I faced a cancer diagnosis. This experience made me see the need for ongoing activism, specifically advocating against environmental and food toxins. This health challenge catalyzed my career, inspiring me to work towards a future where health and sustainability are priorities.

In the 1990s, I cofounded a successful import business. Yet, despite our success, I felt a need to make a more profound impact. By 2004, I transitioned into financial advising, motivated by a vision of what finance could become. I wanted to be the kind of advisor I wished I could find — one who prioritized sustainability, complex planning and social impact. A significant influence in this career choice came from reading The Politics of the Solar Age by Hazel Henderson.

Henderson’s work on sustainability and the interconnected nature of economic systems resonated profoundly. She showed me that finance could be more than a tool for wealth accumulation – it could drive positive social and environmental change. She is the godmother of the impact investing movement and passed away in 2022. Hazel was a prolific writer and thought leader, and her legacy can be found on ethicalmarkets.com. Everyone interested in this field would benefit from reading her works.

Hazel Henderson in 1995. ©photo Dana Gluckstein

Her perspective has shaped our approach at Centered Wealth, where we help clients invest in ways that align with their vision for a better world. We focus on assisting clients to feel empowered and aligned. This concept of “centeredness” has guided my own journey — a synthesis of values and financial choices that fosters clarity and purpose.

Working alongside my daughter, Anya Gage, has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. Anya shares my commitment to ethical investing, and together we help clients align their financial goals with their values. Anya has extended her focus to planning for non-normative families. As more folks feel free to form the social ties that best suit them, we use the frameworks of financial planning to support their best life plans together.

In addition to my daughter, our team includes Stuart Valentine, co-owner of Centered Wealth, and fellow advisor, Annalisa Clifford Gold. Stuart, a pioneer in sustainable finance since 2000, brings extensive knowledge in social venture capital and community development. Annalisa has developed expertise in guiding clients through significant life transitions that impact them financially. Part of the beauty of founding a company based on values-alignment means that we support each other as human beings and not just as colleagues. The resiliency created through being committed to an ethical framework means we can weather storms together, both personal and market ups and downs. I am deeply grateful for that sense of fortitude.

My personal advocacy has extended beyond finance, particularly in support of fellow trauma survivors. In 2019, I cofounded the Children’s Theatre Alumni Survivors Fund (CTA Wellness) after a lengthy legal battle 16 survivors waged against an institution that housed dozens of perpetrators over decades. This nonprofit provides essential resources for survivors, including counseling, legal assistance, and community-building activities. Founding CTA Wellness was necessary, as many survivors lacked the health or resources to pursue justice in the narrow time allowed to file lawsuits. Providing a platform where they feel supported has been challenging but vital, reinforcing my commitment to social change and systemic support.

The challenges I’ve faced have also strengthened my resolve to inspire other women to trust their instincts, pursue their passions and stand up for what they believe is right.

Throughout my career, I’ve faced obstacles that have tested my commitment, but they’ve ultimately deepened my dedication to creating meaningful change. For women especially, trusting one’s own voice and taking bold steps are essential to making an impact.

The work we do at Centered Wealth isn’t without challenges. Engaging with complex issues — politics, climate change, corporate accountability, and more — can feel overwhelming. These are long-term commitments that require resilience and focus. But it’s crucial not to disengage, no matter how insurmountable these issues seem. Small actions, like voting in local elections or participating in shareholder activism, are meaningful steps toward broader systemic change.

In navigating these issues, self-care is essential. Taking breaks to recharge is necessary to stay focused on our goals. Building a community of like-minded individuals has also been vital; the support of others provides strength during difficult times. Our team meets weekly with a larger community of Impact Investment advisors, sharing ideas, frustrations, and general comradery. Continuing to educate myself on topics like climate science and corporate governance empowers me to advocate for these causes with confidence and knowledge, inspiring others to join the mission.

Living my values is central to my personal life and my work at Centered Wealth. In 2020, my husband and I completed a Net Zero home near our office in Minneapolis, reflecting our commitment to sustainable living. Gardening, spending time outdoors, and sharing life with our spirited dogs keep me grounded and connected to nature. These daily practices remind us of the importance of living intentionally and sustainably, a mindset that drives our work with clients.

On another personal front, I cofounded SYNCRIS in 2019, a climate tech company that aims to enhance microgrid accessibility. This venture has been an exciting step, aligning with my vision for a sustainable future. The hard-won funds received from my legal battles have been transformed into supporting the development of critically needed technology for stabilizing the grid as we add renewable energy. My hope is to inspire others in the finance sector to consider how their investments can contribute to broader social and environmental goals, creating a world where finance benefits both people and the planet.

Every step in my journey reinforces my belief that we can create systems that serve everyone. I encourage folks to reflect on how their choices — financial and otherwise — can contribute to positive change.

Through ethical investing, advocating for survivors, and living sustainably, we can each make a meaningful impact. At Centered Wealth, alongside inspiring partners like Stuart, Annalisa and Anya, we are dedicated to using our voices and resources to create a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

As we face challenges like climate change and social injustice, I invite everyone to consider how they can make a difference within their own spheres of influence. With a shared commitment to a better future, we can build a world where our financial decisions align with our values and create a legacy of integrity, resilience, and purpose.

  

Article by Jina Penn-Tracy, wealth manager, co-owner and co-founder of Centered Wealth. She is passionate about leaving this world a better place. Jina believes that comprehensive planning allows individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to make more ethically aligned and influential decisions regarding the spending and investing of their money. After co-founding a rapidly growing import company in the 1990s, Jina shifted careers in 2004 to become the type of financial advisor she wished she could find; an advisor focused on utilizing the power and influence of money to make positive changes in the world.

Jina has been quoted in Financial Advisory Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Investment News as well as local Minneapolis media. In 2020, Jina hosted an event at Climate Week for the UN. Jina and her husband just completed the construction of their Net Zero home walking distance from the Minneapolis Centered Wealth Office. Jina enjoys world-wide travel, gardening and her energetic dogs, Matteo and Guinness.

Centered Wealth and Vanderbilt Financial Group are separate and unaffiliated entities. Jina Penn-Tracy is a registered representative of Vanderbilt Securities LLC and investment advisor representative of Vanderbilt Advisory Services. Vanderbilt Financial Group is the marketing name for Vanderbilt Securities, LLC and its affiliates.

Securities offered through Vanderbilt Securities, LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC. Registered with MSRB. Advisory Services offered through Vanderbilt Advisory Services.

For additional information on services, disclosures, fees, and conflicts of interest, please visit www.vanderbiltfg.com/disclosures

Energy & Climate, Featured Articles, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

Investing in Gender Equality Offers a Bridge to a Healthier and More Stable Future

By Margret Trilli, ImpactAssets

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Margret Trilli of ImpactAssetsIn 1738, the world was a vastly different place. Benjamin Franklin was still early in his pioneering work in Philadelphia; the Ottoman Empire was at war with Russia; and American independence was still decades away.

Fast forward 286 years, and much has changed. We’ve landed on the moon, decoded the human genome and built technologies that can connect people across the globe in an instant. Yet despite all of this progress, a stark fact remains: At our current pace, it will take another 286 years to achieve true gender equality globally. This timeline, laid out by the United Nations, is not just a projection; it’s a wake-up call.

Pursuing gender equality is both a moral and economic obligation. We cannot wait three more centuries to close the gap –the world’s four billion women and girls deserve better. It is a worthy goal on its own merits, but it also has the potential to add $12 trillion in global gross domestic product (GDP), while advancing many other global priorities. Ultimately, a more gender-equal world will foster a healthier, safer, increasingly productive, and more stable future.

For impact investors, the question is not why gender equality matters — it’s how to effectively allocate capital in ways that empower women and catalyze meaningful progress far more quickly.

To be sure, impact investing alone cannot be a panacea for gender inequality, but it is an indispensable component of a larger solution. Gender equality can itself be an impact objective or, for portfolios targeting other impact themes, gender equality can be an awareness that impact investors incorporate into their work.

At ImpactAssets, we focus on three essential areas of need where capital of impact investors can be most effective at driving gender equality:  1) advancing economic inclusion; 2) delivering products and services that improve lives and outcomes; 3) and increasing representation and voice.

Together with our clients and partners, we are driving progress in these areas, and many other gender lens impact investors are scaling up capital flows in similar ways. However, addressing a challenge as entrenched and widespread as gender inequality requires significantly more investment.

Expanding Economic Opportunities for Women

Women around the world continue to face significant barriers in accessing financial resources: from inherent bias to structural discrimination to limited collateral for loans. Despite being key drivers of economic growth, women-owned businesses secure only a fraction of global venture funding, leaving many unable to grow their enterprises and build financial independence. In the U.S. alone, women own nearly 40% of the country’s 33+ million small businesses, but businesses owned by men receive the overwhelming majority of (71.6%) loans.

Although data suggests that women tend to be more conservative in financial decision-making, lenders typically view women borrowers as riskier, thanks in part to modeling that considers the paucity of female versus male borrowers. As a result, women are allocated less credit or denied credit altogether, perpetuating the bias.

In this context, creating pathways to economic inclusion is a cornerstone of advancing gender equality. Impact investors have a unique role to play by championing financial inclusion, access to capital, and home- and landownership for women.

Investment opportunities in this realm take various forms. Of course, impact investors can support women-run businesses with funding. Such a focus may manifest with investments to a lender whose portfolio demonstrates commitment to cultivating women-owned businesses or to a microfinancier working in the sub-niche of very small businesses dominated by women.

Such investments can drive economic inclusion and catalyze profound social transformation. More than just bridging gender gaps, this channel of investment is critical for rewriting the narratives of financial power and providing women with the tools to build their own wealth, autonomy, and resilience. Impact investors can help turn gender gaps into gateways of economic prosperity.

Improving Lives and Outcomes Through Better Services and Products

To create meaningful progress toward gender equality, it’s essential to also target investments in areas that directly impact women’s everyday lives and their long-term prospects, such as healthcare, education, housing, childcare, agriculture, and beyond.

Impact investors can finance career and life services, as well as investments that remove the systemic barriers that prevent women and girls from participating in education and the workforce. For example, investing in access to clean water can dramatically reduce the hours women and girls in developing countries spend collecting clean drinking water for their families, enabling them to work or go to school.

Similarly, persistent disparities in access to healthcare mean women are more likely to experience longer periods of poor health, significantly impacting their daily lives and their economic potential. Further, diseases that predominantly affect women have historically received significantly less funding for medical research that would advance cures, treatments, diagnostics and prevention. Addressing these gaps is critical for engaging women’s full participation in society, as well as the global economy.

Improving women’s lives and outcomes creates ripple effects of positive change, because women’s well-being helps catalyze a host of broader societal benefits – ranging from reduced poverty to improved family welfare. As such, this strategy is a testament to the belief that when impact investors uplift women, they uplift entire communities.

Elevating Women’s Voices in Leadership

Increasing the representation of women in leadership roles is a powerful lever for accelerating gender equality. But it’s about far more than filling quotas — it’s about genuinely valuing women’s perspectives in order to more fully reflect whole communities and inform equitable solutions.

Women often face challenges in employment stability and career advancement. For instance, women are more likely to be vulnerable workers, and their representation diminishes as they ascend the corporate ladder: Only one in four C-suite roles are filled by women, even fewer of whom are women of color.

By investing in funds and companies that promote and amplify women’s voices, impact investors can generate real progress toward more inclusive decision-making and leadership. Team and leadership composition should be important considerations for all potential investments. Ideally, when a fund or company appropriately values women in its work, their teams and their portfolios will reflect the population – especially in senior positions, given the challenges women face in advancement. At ImpactAssets, we strive to practice this principle in our own work: of ImpactAssets’ active portfolio of 1,000+ impact funds and companies, 38% are women-led.

Culture and policy also matter. Impact investors can support companies that accept the disproportionate role women play in bearing children and that design their systems to prevent motherhood from derailing advancement. Progress in this realm will bring diverse perspectives to the forefront, while ensuring that the journey towards gender equality is shaped by those who are most impacted.

Investing in Women Catalyzes Deep, Transformative Impact 

The urgency of the gender inequality crisis is impossible to ignore. At ImpactAssets, we believe that impact investors have a unique responsibility to direct their capital toward areas where it can truly spark transformational change for women and girls around the world.

With an expanding range of tools and a growing understanding of what drives real impact, the moment is right to embed these approaches across the entire landscape of impact investing. Investors today find themselves at a pivotal moment: Primed with knowledge and resources, they have the power to drive progress in ways that can reshape the future.

Note to reader: If you are interested in hearing more about impact investing for gender equality, join us on January 22 for an inspiring conversation with Grameen America’s CEO, Andrea Jung; SoGal Venture’s Co-Founder and Managing Partner Pocket Sun; and ImpactAssets Capital Partners Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Sandra Osborne Kartt, CFA. 

 

Article by Margret Trilli, the CEO & Chief Investment Officer for ImpactAssets and ImpactAssets Capital Partners, which together steward more than $3.5 billion in private impact investments. Margret’s 25+ year career includes executive leadership, investment, operating, strategy and acquisitions roles for companies including Intentional Capital, Barclays Global Investors/Blackrock and Charles Schwab.

Outside of ImpactAssets, Margret is a recognized voice on impact investing and philanthropy. Her leadership has been invaluable to family offices, wealth managers, foundations and corporations. Margret also serves on the Board of Trustees for Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Boards of WaterEquity and the Justice Climate Fund.

Margret graduated from The Stanford Graduate School of Business and holds a degree in Economics from University of California Santa Barbara. Margret lives in San Francisco, CA with her husband and children.

Energy & Climate, Featured Articles, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

How I found y way to impact inversting and why I hope more women will join me - by Jenn Pryce, Calvert Impact

How I Found My Way to Impact Investing & Why I Hope More Women Will Join Me

By Jenn Pryce, Calvert Impact

> Back to December 2024 Issue

 

Above – Jenn Pryce (middle) with Calvert Impact Chief Investment Officer Catherine Godschalk (left) and Chief Risk Officer Lauri Michel (right)

Jenn Pryce, CEO Calvert ImpactTwo decades ago, Impact Investing found me at a theater in New York.

I’d recently moved back to the US after nearly a decade abroad, first working in investment banking at Morgan Stanley in London and then teaching yoga in Australia. I was living in New York City, searching for what to do next that could marry my finance skills with something more purposeful. I wanted to learn more about arts organizations, so I decided to volunteer at the Public Theater, an iconic nonprofit known for supporting emerging playwrights and incubating productions like “Hair,” and “A Chorus Line” and, most recently, “Hamilton.” It was there that I came across the gap in financing available for arts organizations.

Despite its critical success and its status as a beloved anchor in the neighborhood, the theater was in financial distress. They didn’t own their building, and no one wanted to lend them money. I quickly realized this financing “gap” was more like a gaping hole that all sorts of community organizations – charter schools, health clinics, community centers – fell into.  All these organizations were challenged by getting a loan from banks that didn’t understand their business models or their value propositions. The inability to access capital made owning a building, growing operations, or investing in new programs almost impossible. I was distressed to learn this, but I knew I’d found my calling: connecting capital to community-serving organizations. For the last 15 years I’ve been working at Calvert Impact doing just that.

Calvert Impact is a nonprofit financial institution creating innovative investment programs that drive social and environmental impact. Our platform, reach, and impact have grown significantly over the past decade. In addition to growing our flagship product the Community Investment Note® to over $625 million assets under management, in the last five years we’ve brought multiple new products and partnerships to market, including the Cut Carbon Note®, Access Small Business Program, and the Mission Driven Bank Fund. This spring Climate United, a coalition led by Calvert Impact, Self-Help and Community Preservation Corporation, won a nearly $7 billion award from the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Clean Investment Fund.

Calvert Impact is unique in a number of ways – we’re a nonprofit investment firm, we invest around the globe and across multiple sectors, we have a nearly three decades-long track record, and we have extremely accessible products with minimums as low as $20 1, meaning everyday investors can participate.

We also stand out in another way that is often overlooked: we are one of only 18%2 of all financial firms managed by women. And not only is Calvert Impact led by a woman, 80% of our senior leadership team are women. Although a minority of financial firms are led by women, the good news is that this number is growing and projected to be 21% by 20313. But that growth isn’t fast or good enough.

When impact investing focuses on women, it’s typically as beneficiaries of capital – and that’s very important. More than 10%4 of women globally live in extreme poverty and women are disproportionately affected by poverty due to lack of access to capital, opportunities for education, and discrimination in the workplace amongst many other factors. Deliberately investing to provide women with access to these critical resources is essential to creating a better world for all of us.

But I want to encourage impact investing to be equally thoughtful in getting women into roles managing and deploying capital as well. I often think of the work we’re doing in impact investing as providing a “demonstration effect” for the broader capital markets, proving that you can earn a financial return while also creating the social and environmental solutions communities need, and normalizing what we and our impact partners have been doing for decades. We can also normalize women as leaders of financial firms and work to ensure that there are women at every professional level of impact investing organizations, seeding a strong pipeline for the next generation of finance leaders. Firms like Quona Capital led by Monica Brand Engel, ImpactAssets led by Margret Trilli, and Anthos whose impact investing strategy is led by Dimple Sahni are setting great examples.

It’s especially important to include more women in finance as we transition to a clean energy economy. Investments to adapt to climate change and develop low-carbon technologies will generate trillions of dollars of investment and millions of new jobs over the next decade. Ensuring women are at the table making these investments and are part of the wealth building story needs to be the legacy of this generation of leadership. And the data indicates that they’ll be good at it too – women overall make better investors and generate higher returns when making investment decisions at financial firms, outperforming men by 1.8 percentage points annually5.

So, for women looking to break into impact investing, or who are working in impact investing, here’s my advice: the time is now. Get started by engaging with local networks like – WISE (Women Investing in the Sustainable Economy) or national and global networks like – GIIN (Global Impact Investing Network) and – US SIF (The Sustainable Investment Forum).

There are great opportunities emerging and we need leaders who can create a different ending to the typical story that accompanies extreme economic transition where wealth becomes more concentrated amongst a small number of winners. We need you to help us create a better future: join us.

 

Article by Jennifer Pryce, CEO of Calvert Impact, a global nonprofit investment firm. Under her more than 10 years of leadership the organization has tripled the size of its flagship Community Investment Note – which supports impact funds around the world and launched multiple new products, including the Cut Carbon Note, an asset backed security for building decarbonization; Access, a program that leverages government funds with private investment dollars to provide access to capital for the country’s smallest businesses; and the Mission Driven Bank Fund, a growth capital fund for minority-owned banks.

Most recently, Climate United, a coalition lead by Calvert Impact, Community Preservation Corporation and Self-Help was awarded $6.97 billion to invest in U.S. energy and climate sustainability initiatives through the federal National Clean Investment Fund.

Jenn began her career in the Peace Corps before working for Neuberger Berman, the investment banking team in Morgan Stanley’s London office, and Nonprofit Finance Fund, a Community Development Financial Institution. Jenn studied engineering at Union College and holds an MBA from Columbia University.?She currently serves as a lecturer at Oxford Saïd School of Business and is a board member of UNICEF USA Impact Fund for Children as well as a member of the Advisory Board of Ecofin and the Operating Principles for Impact Management.

Footnotes:

[1]  https://calvertimpact.org/investing/community-investment-note

[2]  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/06/women-shape-influence-revolutionize-financial-markets/

[3]  Ibid

[4]  https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/economic-empowerment/facts-and-figures

[5]  https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/06/women-shape-influence-revolutionize-financial-markets/

Energy & Climate, Featured Articles, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

A History of the Women who Nurtured the Roots of CDFIs

By Amy Domini, Domini Impact Investments

> Back to March/April 2025 Issue

 

Trailblazing women mentioned in Amy’s article – (L to R, top row: Katherine Graham Peden, Patricia Harris, Sr. Corinne Florek; bottom row: Nancy Andrews, Julie Eades, Kirsten Moy)

Amy Domini of Domini Impact InvestmentsMy personal interest in CDFIs began with the tale of a woman.

Early in my career, I had the chance to join a panel discussion that changed the trajectory of my life in advocacy for ethical investing. The speaker before me was named Chuck Matthei. He was an unpresuming looking man who had started something called the Institute for Community Economics. He started quietly, “I would like to share with you the story of Maria and her eleven dependents, living in squalor, in Cincinnati. I’d like to convince you to help her out with a loan.” His words helped me to understand that my own message was nothing if my work did not directly affect the lives of Maria and her dependents.

The Early Seeds of CDFIs were Planted and Nurtured by Trailblazing Women

The roots of modern community development financial institutions (CDFIs) stretch back to the late 1960s, to the racial riots that had rocked America, causing the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to commission a group to study the sources of unrest. The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders ‘discovered’ that racism had starved many low-income neighborhoods by denying access to capital. Our nation was stunned but motivated to act. On April 28, 1968, the National Council of Churches announced its Investment Program for Ghetto Community Development. On June 5, 1968, the Episcopal Church announced its decision to start a Ghetto investment program, and five days later the New York Urban Coalition followed suit. Life insurance companies began their “social investment” programs and invested primarily in affordable rental properties in hollowed-out communities. These were top-down initiatives, reliant on the funding of a single entity.

Only one woman had been named to the Commission, Katherine Graham Peden, was later one of the first women to join a Fortune 500 company’s board of directors. The committee’s efforts led to the creation of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, a vital source of funding enabling state and local governments nationwide to develop affordable housing and provide essential services to improve the health and prosperity of low- and moderate-income communities.

President Jimmy Carter had tasked HUD secretary Patricia Harris to head a policy group tasked with addressing the credit and wealth inequities the race riots had so starkly revealed. Harris’s own career broke many barriers, as the first Black woman to hold any cabinet position (she held two), to serve on a Fortune 500 company’s board (she would serve on four), and to be Dean of a law school. One of the group’s core initiatives was to create a budget to fund Community Development Credit Unions. This was soon enhanced by the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act, which established the mechanism for larger banks to invest in the poorest neighborhoods, even if they did not have branches there. The strength of borrowing from the many to lend to the many was recognized. Top down do-good efforts continue, but with a dynamic new partner — the modern CDFI.

Women in the Movement

Soon, entities that borrow from many in order to come up with the funds to lend to those in need began to take on new forms. In addition to banks and credit unions, non-profits began to borrow and make loans. While tiny and few in number, in Chuck Matthei they nonetheless found a voice. He became the Johnny Appleseed of the Community Development Loan Fund concept, convincing them to band together and learn from one another as a fledgling coalition. On October 16, 1985, when the few initiatives dedicated to borrowing from the many and lending to the poor met together to strengthen each other, a truly powerful movement for community investing was born.

The National Association of Community Development Loan Funds (NACDLF), as it became known, was founded a year later, and soon I was asked to serve as a board member, where I represented investors. Over the next few years, we grew to 50 lending organizations, always sticking to a few simple standards, worth repeating here:

  1. Our members were intermediaries, borrowing to lend. Member mission statements specifically stated the goal of economic justice.
  2. Member boards would be made up one third by people with technical stills that were needed, one third by those with access to sources of capital and one third by those representing or advocating for the borrowers.
  3. Members were subject to in-depth peer reviews

Early leaders in the CDFI field included Sr. Corinne Florek, a member of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, MI. She brought the nuns to the table and became a spokesperson for economic justice. Joan Shapiro from South Shore Bank crisscrossed the nation advocating for and raising funds for the model, which her bank took a leadership role in shaping. Nancy Andrews, who had been the Deputy Director of the Ford Foundation’s social investment portfolio, worked in the Clinton administration Departments of Treasury and HUD to head its Low Income Housing initiatives, and then helped grow the Low Income Investment Fund over 30 years from $35 million to over $1 billion in assets. Julie Eades of New Hampshire Community Loan Fund tirelessly reminded the industry that not all poverty was urban, and that multiple investment and lending models were needed to address it.

The Federal Program Begins

One early leader deserves a special call-out. A self-described nerd, Kirsten Moy oversaw the Social Initiative Investment Department at The Equitable Life Assurance Society. As such, she was managing a budget unimaginable in scale by the community loan funds. Her willingness to partner with the small hardscrabble peers was noted. On January 26, 1995, President Clinton announced his intention to nominate Kirsten Moy as the first administrator of the new federal program within the Treasury Department, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. At the Rose Garden ceremony where most of the above listed women, myself included, were present, it felt like witnessing a miracle.

The year before Newt Gingrich managed a takeover of Congress. Target number one was the CDFI Fund. Kirsten managed to steer $35 million out to the network against great adversity, and she and her successors protected the program year after year. The community investing movement’s sprouts and saplings were nourished by this new flow of federal funds and sprung up within the broader financial canopy. Between 1994 and 2024, CDFIs originated over $22 billion that supports 564,000 quality jobs, 105,000 units of housing and over 151,000 community health clinics, nonprofits, daycare centers, job training programs, and more.

The fact that today our nation has a healthy CDFI network makes financial services accessible and economic prosperity possible for millions. NACDLF, now known as Opportunity Finance Network, which is now celebrating 40 years, and its members have distributed $111,087,489,003 over those four decades. Behind the figures are million new jobs and over 800,000 new businesses in addition to the housing and community services provided to millions. Further, just this past year, CDFIs received roughly $16 billion in federal grants for the development of clean energy, decarbonization of transportation and the built environment and pathways to a clean energy economy by and for disadvantaged communities. All this grew from an initial disbursement of $35 million, thoughtfully handled, from the US Treasury. And the women are still strong in support. OFN CDFI’s women’s network has 1,600 members in 15 local chapters.

Community Development Financial Institutions are an essential component in bending towards justice, and women were essential architects of the field.

 

Article by Amy Domini, Founder and Chair of Domini Impact Investments (“Domini”). She has been a leader and innovator in the development of impact investing for over 30 years. Widely regarded as one of the world’s eminent authorities in the field, she was named to Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people in 2005.

 Ms. Domini began her career as a stockbroker and became especially interested in working with clients that were concerned with ecological sustainability and universal human dignity. She co-founded KLD Research & Analytics and, in 1990, was instrumental in the launch of the Domini 400 Social Index*. She later co-created the Domini Impact Equity Fund. Ms. Domini serves as a voting member of Domini’s Impact Review Committee and Standards Committee. She also serves as co-Portfolio Manager for the Domini Impact Equity Fund, Domini International Opportunities Fund, and Domini Sustainable Solutions Fund.

 Ms. Domini was acknowledged with the Clinton Global Initiative citation for innovation and finance. She has also received an honorary Doctor of Business Administration degree from Northeastern College of Law, an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Flagler College, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Yale University’s Berkeley Divinity School. Ms. Domini was named to Directorship magazine’s Directorship 100, the magazine’s listing of the most influential people on corporate governance and in the boardroom, and Barron’s selected her as one of the 30 most influential people in the mutual business. In 2009, she was named to Time magazine’s list of 25 “Responsibility Pioneers” who are changing the world.

 Active in her community, Ms. Domini is a board member for the Center for Responsible Lending. She is also a past board member of the Church Pension Fund of the Episcopal Church in America; the National Association of Community Development Loan Funds, an organization whose members work to create funds for grassroots economic development loans; and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, the major sponsor of shareholder actions. A frequent guest commentator, Ms. Domini has appeared on CNBC’s Talking Stocks and various other radio and television shows.

 Ms. Domini holds a B.A. in international and comparative studies from Boston University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 * Now known as the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, owned by MSCI, Inc. MSCI and Domini Impact Investments LLC are not affiliated.

 Select publications: Ms. Domini is the author of Thoughts on People Planet, & Profit (2021), Socially Responsible Investing: Making a Difference and Making Money (Dearborn Trade, 2001) and The Challenges of Wealth (Dow Jones Irwin, 1988), and a coauthor of Investing for Good (Harper Collins, 1993), The Social Investment Almanac (Henry Holt, 1992), and Ethical Investing (Addison-Wesley, 1984).

Featured Articles, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

My Millennial Friends Aren’t Investing- But They Should Be

By Leah Cantor, LongView Asset Management LLC

> Back to October 2024 Issue

Leah Cantor Longview Asset MgmtI’m in my early 30’s. As someone who works in finance, I know that one of the most important things I can do for myself at this point in my life is develop strong financial habits like saving, budgeting, and investing.

Most of my friends work in other fields, and while the majority have a good grasp on budgeting, many aren’t saving as much as they should and even fewer are investing.

Some own trendy investments like Tesla stock or Bitcoin, but not many of them are taking advantage of retirement plans offered through work or investing in individual accounts or IRAs.

Nationally, around 50% of people under 35 own stock holdings.1 But based on the conversations I’ve had with peers in my age group, I suspect that in Santa Fe and in New Mexico in general, that number is probably much lower.

A study by the Federal Reserve found that people living in high-income, white, well-educated zip-codes with high concentrations of private sector workers were more likely to be investing than people in zip codes with lower incomes and high concentrations of government workers, craftspeople, and people of color2. Because we live in a poor state in a city where most people don’t work typical private sector jobs at big companies with employee-retirement plans, these findings could help explain the abysmal rate of investing among my peers.

I understand that it’s tough: As a young person making just enough to pay your rent, a car loan, and go out for a few drinks with friends, investing for the future can easily fall to the bottom of your priority list.

Moreover, the widening wealth gap, sky-high home prices and the precariousness of social security make many millennials feel like the system is stacked against us. To fix these problems we need policy interventions that increase basic financial security for the working and middle classes.3

In the meantime, though, there are things we can do to take our economic future into our own hands.

To make the system work for you, you have to invest, and the earlier you start, the further your money will go. This is because of the intersection of time, the long term growth of capital markets, and the compounding of investment returns.

To illustrate the power of compounding, if you invest $1,000 in the stock market when you are 20 years old, with an average annual return of 10% (the average annual return of large cap stocks since 1928), by the time you are 67 your money will have grown to around $108,000.4

Keep in mind that the later you wait to start investing, the less time your money will benefit from compounding. If you wait until you are 30 to invest your $1,000, by the time you are 67 you’ll  have only about $40,000. If you wait until you’re 40, you’ll have less than $15,000.5

According to investment bank Fidelity, by the time you are 30 you should have the equivalent of one year’s salary saved in order to maintain your current lifestyle in retirement. To stay on track, by the time you are 67, you should have ten times your salary saved up.6

I know that might seem like a lofty goal. The crucial thing to remember is that saving and investing any amount is better than nothing.

The best place to start is to make the habit of saving and investing as easy as possible. Set up automatic deposits, even if they are small, to fund your 401k, IRA, or an  individual brokerage account on a monthly basis.

And don’t forget that investing isn’t just about retirement. It’s a key piece of achieving any of your financial goals.

Say you wanted to buy a house. If you had put $1,000 into an S&P 500 index fund ten years ago, and then contributed $150 a month, you would now have around $33,000 7 – just enough for a 10% down payment on a modest home in Santa Fe.8. If you want to see how far your investments might take you, look for a retirement calculator online.

When it comes to investing, the most important thing is to start with whatever you can spare today. Don’t wait till you’ve paid off your student loans or can afford a financial advisor. There are plenty of online resources and digital investment platforms that will give you the basic information you need to begin.

Start now, and you’ll thank yourself later.

 

Article by Leah Cantor is the Sustainability Manager and Operations Coordinator at LongView Asset Management LLC. She formerly worked as a reporter in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is a passionate advocate for environmentally and socially responsible business practices. Contact her at leah@longviewasset.com

Reprinted with permission, The Santa Fe New Mexican

The information contained herein is intended to be used for educational purposes only and is not exhaustive. Diversification and/or any strategy that may be discussed does not guarantee against investment losses but are intended to help manage risk and return. If applicable, historical discussions and/or opinions are not predictive of future events. The content is presented in good faith and has been drawn from sources believed to be reliable. The content is not intended to be legal, tax or financial advice. Please consult a legal, tax or financial professional for information specific to your individual situation. Under no circumstances shall LongView be liable for any direct, indirect, special, or consequential damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the materials provided. In no event shall LongView Asset Management, LLC have any liability to you for damages, losses, and causes of action for accessing this commentary. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

This content not reviewed by FINRA

 

Footnotes:

[1]  https://milli.bank/blog/where-americans-keep-their-wealth/

[2]  https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/feds/2004/200422/200422pap.pdf

[3]  https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/boom-and-bust-millennials-arent-all-worse-off-than-baby-boomers-but-the-rich-poor-gap-is-widening and- https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/03/survey-adults-say-theyre-doing-worse-financially-than-their-parents.html

[4]  https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/retirement-calculator

[5]  https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/retirement-calculator

[6]  https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/retirement/how-much-do-i-need-to-retire

[7]  https://tradethatswing.com/average-historical-stock-market-returns-for-sp-500-5-year-up-to-150-year-averages/#:~:text=Stock%20Market%20Average%20Yearly%20Return%20for%20the%20Last%2010%20Years,including%20dividends)%20is%209.52%25

[8] https://www.zillow.com/

Additional Articles, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund invests in Farmland LP to Support Regenerative Ag

> Back to October 2024 Issue

Farmland LP, the largest fund manager in the U.S. focused on organic regenerative farmland, recently announced an investment from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund in Farmland LP’s third value-add fund, Vital Farmland III LLC.

Farmland LP will develop Soil Carbon Credits on its 18,500-acre farm portfolio and expand the market for regenerative soil carbon credits. This work will also include preparing the necessary protocols, a critical step towards increasing regenerative agriculture practices globally to sequester vast amounts of atmospheric CO2 as mineralized soil carbon.

“Farmland LP’s use of regenerative agriculture practices to ensure healthy soils, and therefore high-quality soil carbon credits, is a critical element of advancing nature-based carbon removal solutions,” said Erika Basham, director of Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund. “We’re excited to invest in their fund and work with them to create a more sustainable agriculture sector.”

“This investment from Microsoft is a significant milestone for Farmland LP and the broader regenerative agriculture sector,” said Craig Wichner, Founder and Managing Partner of Farmland LP. “Microsoft’s investment in our Fund III is a powerful validation of our approach to regenerative agriculture, and this capital will allow us to acquire additional properties and increase our fund’s economic and environmental returns.”

Microsoft’s investment aligns with its commitment to sustainability and innovation. Farmland LP will package carbon credits from diverse regenerative agriculture practices, which it expects to generate using Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard, the foremost carbon program in the world.

This work is instrumental in demonstrating that regenerative practices provide economic benefits to farmers and thus accelerating the sequestration of carbon in soils on agricultural lands worldwide, driving the necessary work to prioritize the carbon credit market’s focus on regenerative agriculture, establish and standardize carbon credit protocols, and promote sustainable farming practices.

Farmland LP is currently raising capital for its $250M Vital Farmland III, LLC. For more information about Farmland LP and Fund III, contact- irteam@farmlandlp.com.

 

About Farmland LP

Farmland LP is the largest fund manager in the U.S. focused on organic regenerative farmland. Founded in 2009, Farmland LP manages over 18,500 acres of high-quality farmland in Washington, Oregon, and California, with more than $300M AUM over three funds. Farmland LP Social Media channels:

https://www.youtube.com/@farmlandlp

https://www.instagram.com/farmland_lp/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/farmland-lp/

https://x.com/farmlandlp

Additional Articles, Energy & Climate, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

FLINTpro Launches Biodiversity Module on Regulatory Financial Risk for Landowners and Investors

FLINTpro Launches Biodiversity Module on Regulatory and Financial Risk for Landowners and Investors

Back to October 2024 Issue

FLINTpro Launches Biodiversity Module on Regulatory and Financial Risk for Landowners and Investors

FLINTpro logoFLINTpro, a leading nature analytics company that provides compliance and financial risk assessment products for companies regulated by land use and climate protocols, announced the launch of its Global Biodiversity Module, the latest feature of the company’s RegIQ product.

The company’s biodiversity analytics module offers unprecedented analysis of the potential impacts of human and industrial activities on nature and the risks associated with their dependencies on ecosystem services from biodiverse landscapes.

The new module features two key scores that provide unique insights into a company’s biodiversity risk and relationship with nature: the Impact Potential Score and the Dependency Risk Score. The Impact Potential Score assesses the potential for human activities to impact biodiversity by evaluating species richness, the presence of endangered species, human land use, and the significance of biologically important areas. It provides a comprehensive overview of biodiversity health and the risk of future impacts.

The Dependency Risk Score measures how human activities depend on biodiversity, focusing on water availability, the presence of invasive species, and the availability of pollinators. It highlights the critical role of healthy ecosystems in supporting sustainable human activities. Users also receive metrics for the two scores’ components, allowing companies to understand the rationale for their scores, customize them for their sector, and set up targeted programs for improvement.

Designed in alignment with the LEAP approach from the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), this product employs a globally consistent methodology to ensure compliance and comparability across analyses, as well as geographic and commodity-specific benchmarking.

With the Global Biodiversity module, FLINTpro offers in-depth analyses for voluntary and regulatory reporting, financial portfolio assessment, and activity prioritization.

“Adding an in-depth Global Biodiversity Module to our existing RegIQ product represents a significant milestone in our mission to provide comprehensive tools for nature-based ESG reporting and decision-making,” said Tina Morris, CEO of FLINTpro.

“In a world where biodiversity is increasingly at risk, our biodiversity module empowers organizations to understand and mitigate their impacts while recognizing the crucial dependencies they have on natural ecosystems. We’re proud to offer a solution that not only supports compliance with global reporting frameworks but also drives meaningful action towards preserving our planet’s invaluable natural assets.”

By incorporating Scope 3 emissions, combating deforestation, and preserving biodiversity, FLINTpro’s data stack offers a unique, holistic approach that arms landowners and investors with the tools they need for their climate- and nature-positive journey. With FLINTpro, organizations are equipped with the precise data they need to make impactful decisions and lead the charge toward a more sustainable future.

 

About FLINTpro  

FLINTpro is a nature analytics company for landowners, investors, and suppliers, to access a single trusted platform containing intelligent layers of preset and verified data. Specializing in land use, deforestation, GHG emissions, and biodiversity, FLINTpro integrates the relevant, high-quality data necessary to quantify risks and opportunities in achieving net zero.

Steeped in decades of forestry and carbon accounting knowledge, FLINTpro has built an unparalleled reputation in monitoring, measuring, and managing nature data. Our expert team is composed of lead authors for the IPCC and GHG Protocol, who have designed and developed proprietary models for risk assessments, implementing mitigation strategies, and meeting regulatory standards. FLINTpro offers transparent, tested methodologies to meet nature-positive commitments and understand the value of your land.

Additional Articles, Energy & Climate, Food & Farming, Impact Investing, Sustainable Business

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