As the focus on the impact of the $550 billion in endowment funds of the nation’s higher education institutions continues to grow, this was a timely event to explore the risks and opportunities that sustainability challenges pose to investment portfolios. 

This interactive, invitation-only forum provided an opportunity for campus leaders to learn from peers and experts about current trends and best-practices.

• Post-Forum Summary
• Program Agenda
• Speakers
• Speaker Presentations 
• Speaker Videos 
• Participating Institutions
• Logistics: Hotel, Directions & Parking
• Green Dining in Chicago
• Sponsors
  
  

Keynote Speakers: 

Hank Paulson, Chairman, Paulson Institute

Henry M. Paulson, Jr. is a businessman, China expert, conservationist and author. He is the founder and chairman of the Paulson Institute, and co-chairman of the Latin American Conservation Council of The Nature Conservancy and the Risky Business Project.  Paulson served as the 74th Secretary of the Treasury under President George W. Bush, from July 2006 to January 2009. Prior to that, he had a thirty-two year career at Goldman Sachs, serving as chairman and chief executive officer beginning in 1999. Read his full bio. 

 

David Blood, Senior Partner, Generation Investment Management

David Blood is co-founder and Senior Partner of Generation Investment Management.  Previously, he spent 18 years at Goldman Sachs including serving as co-CEO and CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management from 1999-2003.  David received a B.A. from Hamilton College and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Graduate School of Business. Read his full bio. 

 

Jeremy Coller, CIO, Coller Capital and Chairman, Jeremy Coller Foundation 

 

Location: Loyola University Chicago, Schreiber Center, 16 E Pearson St, Chicago, IL

Duration: 1.5 days, 1pm Tuesday, November 1 – 4pm Wednesday, November 2

Size: 120 attendees  

Participants: By invitation, participants were be senior administrators (presidents, vice presidents, CFOs, CIOs) and trustees from colleges and universities, philanthropic foundations, sustainable investment experts from investment management firms, advisory firms, non-profits, and student leaders. We encouraged campuses to send teams (e.g., presidents, CIO, CFO, trustees) and use this time for accelerated learning and action planning.

The program was designed to be useful to the full range of participants from those considering these issues for the first time to those who have been implementing sustainable investing practices.

Format: The forum was not be a typical conference. The format was be highly interactive, and included brief presentations from expert speakers, conversational panels to deliver content and seed conversation, small-group dialogue sessions at round tables, and facilitated, interactive action planning exercises. The Forum observed the Chatham House Rule. 

Content and program design: Program content was driven by responses from participants on what their key questions are on these topics at the time, and what they hope to get out of the event. The agenda was designed to build through the day to deliver necessary content, facilitate peer-to-peer information sharing and learning, and result in pragmatic, actionable outcomes for participants to take back to their institutional roles. Key topics covered included:

• Trends and strategies (sustainable investing, impact investing, ESG investing, shareholder engagement, divestment)
• Financial performance
• Fiduciary duty
• What’s happening on other campuses
• Fostering constructive dialogue with campus stakeholders and educational opportunities

 

About the Intentional Endowments Network

The Intentional Endowments Network is a broad-based, collaborative network advancing intentionally designed endowments through a variety of strategies (e.g., ESG integration, impact investing, shareholder engagement) that can make a significant and critical contribution to creating a healthy, just, and sustainable society. 

Working closely with and through leading organizations and initiatives – including Ceres, the Principles for Responsible Investment, Second Nature, AASHE, the Sustainable Endowments Institute, the Responsible Endowments Coalition, CDP, and many others – the network engages key leaders and stakeholders in the higher education, business, and non-profit sectors. The IEN recognizes the need for (1) safe spaces to learn from peers and experts; (2) a non-prescriptive approach; (3) alignment of various efforts and opportunities for action endowments can take; and (4) an emphasis on the process of engaging stakeholders and making decisions on these issues in often contentious environments. It provides opportunities for learning and education, peer networking, convening, thought leadership and information exchange.

Since April 2014, IEN has held five forums with Hampshire College, Arizona State University, Mount Holyoke College, the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, and Portland State University. Over four hundred people participated in these events, ranging from presidents and trustees to students and non-profits, providing very positive feedback on the events’ content, relationship building opportunities, and unique design.

 

Thank you to our Generous Sponsors of this Forum:

Host Sponsor

Loyola University Chicago

 

Gold Sponsor

Boston Common Asset Management

 

Silver Sponsors

Etho Capital

Prime Buchholz

UBS Asset Management

 

Bronze Sponsors

Aramark

Breckinridge Capital Advisors

Brown Advisory

Cambridge Associates

Caravel Management

Impax Asset Management

 Praxis Mutual Funds

South Pole Group