This zone of the RIM is where we turn our attention to what most people consider “investing”: putting money into a diversified selection of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other financial instruments being traded in the global economy. While resilient investing offers us many more baskets to choose from, this zone remains a key place to focus on growing your financial assets.
At the same time, we’re passionate about engaging the global economy in ways that raise the bar on corporate citizenship and enable your financial investments to be consistent with all the choices you’re making with your time, attention, and money across the entire RIM. Sustainable and responsible investing (SRI), which has mushroomed in recent years thanks to being embraced by much of the financial industry and many large institutional investors, offers a wealth of opportunities for those who are committed to making a positive impact on the world while remaining focused on earning solid financial returns.
The Principles for Responsible Investments is United Nations; signatories agree to practice six shared principles. This website lists signatories, both companies and investment firms. A searchable database allows visitors to search signatories by country. Visit the website.
Tags: financial assets, investing, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy, UN
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility is a leading coalition of shareholder activists, with 300 organizational members, including faith-based institutions, socially responsible asset management companies, unions, pension funds and colleges and universities. ICCR members and staff engage with hundreds of multinational corporations each year to promote more sustainable and just practices, and their website is a great place to learn about the key issues being addressed by shareholders. Visit website.
Tags: ESG, shareholder activism, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy
Green bonds offerings, from governments and corporate players, have become a rapidly growing way to raise capital to finance initiatives to fight climate change and foster sustainable development and restoration. Learn more.
Tags: climate, financial assets, regenerative, renewable energy, sustainable global economy strategy
US SIF: The Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment is the trade association for the socially responsible investment industry. Its website includes primers on community investing, divestment, and SRI in general, as well as a steady stream of topical reports. Visit website.
Tags: close to home strategy, community investing, financial assets, learning, shareholder activism, sustainable global economy strategy
This Deutsche Bank report analyzes returns on sustainable investing, and breaks the analysis into more specific categories of SRI, CSR, and ESG to pinpoint where the most value has been found. The report found that sustainable investing, in well executed, best-in-class funds, can lead to superior returns. This is one of the most exhaustive reviews of sustainable investment literature done to date, looking at academic studies, research papers, literature reviews and meta studies. Read the report (pdf).
Tags: financial assets, investing, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy
The Invest With Values website includes a wide-ranging, easy-to-use directory with investment opportunities in the following areas: local banking, community investing, sustainable and responsible investing, and impact investing.
The website also contains numerous tools to help you on a path toward investing with your values. Visit website.
Tags: close to home strategy, community investing, directories, evolutionary strategy, financial assets, impact investing, local banking, SRI
This database from the US Department of Energy features state-by-state information on tax rebates and other renewable energy and efficiency incentives for both individuals and corporations. Visit website.
Tags: close to home strategy, financial assets, renewable energy, sustainable global economy strategy, tangible assets
The Croatan Institute is a new, independent institute researching complex environmental and social issues. Its first projects are focusing on the intersection of finance and sustainability, visualizing a more resilient, fossil-free future. Visit website.
Tags: climate, financial assets, investing, shareholder activism, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy
This late-2014 report by the Croatan Institute looks into the impact of investor engagement on environmental, social, and corporate governance practices of publicly traded companies. These finding have been integrated as part of a project to develop a standard method for documenting the impact of such activities. For the 2015 proxy season, ten institutional investors have committed to using the alpha version of the framework. See report.
Tags: activism, ESG, financial assets, shareholder activism, SRI
This 19-page paper by the CEO of Portfolio 21 presents a well-reasoned case for the evolution of portfolio management in response to modern-day pressures, including social and environmental stresses, rapid information exchange, and new goals and priorities being voiced by investors. Learn more (pdf).
Tags: financial assets, investing, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy
This website is a clearinghouse for information and advice in support of investors becoming more responsible, active, and informed shareholder. It provides tools, tactics and techniques to become shareholder activists. Visit their website.
Tags: ESG, financial assets, personal assets, shareholder activism, SRI, sustainable global economy strategy