IEN Initiatives offer a forum where IEN Members can engage in topical conversations, build their professional networks and expertise, feel comfortable sharing successes, challenges, and requests for support, and developing resources and tools to advance the field.
IEN initiatives typically have the following structure:
- Initiative Leadership - Led by Co-Chairs from the IEN Membership & an IEN Staff Member
- Leadership Committee (Open to IEN members by invitation) - Meets periodically (bi-weekly, monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly), shapes the direction, focus and activities of the Initiative
- Working Group (Open to all IEN members) - Meets periodically (typically quarterly), includes presentations and a forum for topical discussion
- Online Space to Connect (Open to all IEN members) - Topical Listservs and other engagement forums (i.e. LinkedIn Groups) for resource sharing & questions
Read more about each of IEN's current initiatives below, and learn how to join or sponsor on IEN Initiative here.
Net Zero Endowments
Committing to a Net Zero investment portfolio as an effective and powerful way to reduce risks associated with climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy
Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI)
Educating and supporting endowments in considering diversity, equity, and inclusion factors at all levels of the investment process.
Investment Governance
Connecting trustees to create opportunities for peer-to-peer learning among college and university fiduciaries on sustainable investing and developing documents and other vehicles to clarify for higher education trustees how sustainable investing strategies relate to their fiduciary duties, designed for audiences of trustees, presidents, CIO's, and CFO's.
Shareholder Engagement
Developing a strategy to share information with endowments on how to effectively use their rights as corporate share owners to engage portfolio companies on governance and sustainability concerns about accountability, transparency, the environment and social justice.
Sustainable & Impact Investing Learning and Knowledge (SIILK)
The SIILK Network connects student-managed fund advisors, academics focused on sustainable investing, and students involved in student-managed funds to share best practices and resources to advance sustainable investing curriculum and strategies in each fund.
Sustainable Retirements
Approximately 4,500 colleges and universities in the US alone represent a tremendous pool of retirement assets - totaling over $900 billion - that must be safeguarded from sustainability risks. This group works to support institutions in ensuring retirement options take material ESG factors into consideration.