Endowment Value: Becker College is a private college with campuses in Worcester and Leicester, Massachusetts. In 2016, Becker College announced that all of its endowment’s investments would be devoted to impact investing by June 30, 2017. This announcement made Becker College the first university to pursue a 100% impact investment strategy.
Dr. Robert E. Johnson, former president of Becker College, cited the necessity to align investments with Becker College’s mission of “educating, preparing and transforming our students into global citizens, prepared to solve human, social and environmental problems,” and research indicating the superior performance of SRI as reasons for committing all of Becker’s investments to impact investing. Arthur P. DiGeronimo, trustee board chairman, said of the short time frame for this transformation that he hoped it would “strengthen and further demonstrate our total commitment to the highest possible standard of social and fiduciary stewardship.” Read more about Becker's commitment to transitioning its endowment to 100% Impact Investing by 2017.
In 2020, Becker College was featured in the Intentional Endowment Network’s case study on ESG investing. The study revealed that schools employing ESG investing practices saw the same or better returns as schools employing a traditional approach to investing. Read the full study here.
Becker College is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments:
- IEN Founding Member (2016)
- AASHE STARS: No
- ACUPCC: No
- Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
- CDP: Yes
- Committee on Investor Responsibility: No
- INCR: No
- Divestment Goal: No
- Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
- Sustainable Investment Fund: No
- Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes, 100% Impact Investing by 2017
- Principles for Responsible Investment: No
Other Sustainable Investing Practices:
Matching Investments to Mission - A Becker College Case Study (March 2018)