Trustees and other endowment stakeholders all come to the process with different levels of knowledge and experience on the various intersecting fields that inform an investment strategy. This page will help you design a learning agenda and find the right resources to build knowledge among endowment stakeholders.
1. Explore Key Concepts
Read through a quick guide to some fundamental concepts in sustainable investing, or share with endowment stakeholders who want answers to these key questions:
- What is Sustainability?
- What is Sustainable Investing? (and/or the other terms that describe this space, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG), responsible investing (RI), socially responsible investing (SRI), impact investing, mission-aligned investing, etc.)
- What is Sustainable Capitalism?
- What is an endowment and how does it work? A resource for trustees, alumni, faculty, staff and students
- What is Fiduciary Duty for endowment stakeholders? Can sustainable investments meet fiduciary requirements of care and diligence?
- Can sustainable investments meet financial performance requirements?
Or visit IEN’s other resource library pages to find educational materials on key concepts. We curate the most important and relevant reports, webinar recordings, and other resources by investment strategy, asset class, sustainability goal, and more!
2. Learn from Peer Examples
One of the best ways to understand what is possible is to review what peer institutions have already done. Here are a few ways to connect directly with relevant peer examples:
- Visit our “What are my peers doing?” page for a comprehensive guide
- Read through Endowment Snapshots describing 60+ higher education endowments’ investment practices
- Attend IEN events, including educational webinars, with peers
- Participate in IEN working groups where peers share their current work in real time
3. Learn By Doing - Join Investor Initiatives
Join investor groups and initiatives to access resources, learn from experts and peers, and signal to stakeholders that the institution is engaged in this process. Membership and participation in these various initiatives are complementary and not mutually exclusive. Click here to become a Member of IEN or here for a list of relevant initiatives.
4. Learn from Your Consultant
Many, but not all, endowments work with an investment consultant, who may have full or partial discretion over investment decision making. Your consultant can also help you explore new investment strategies and answer your questions about what is possible. Click here for a toolkit on working effectively with a consultant.
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