Harish Manwani TED Talk: Profit's Not Always the Point
In this TED Talk, Harish Manwani, COO of Unilever, makes a passionate argument that including value, purpose and sustainability in top-level decision-making is not just savvy, it's the only way to run a 21st century business responsibly.
Christine Bader TED Talk: The Evolution of a Corporate Id...
Christine Bader, Amazon's Director of Social Responsibility, discusses how we need to re-frame the conversation surrounding the alignment of business interests and social good. By focusing on where some have failed, she offers advice on how others can succeed.
Chris McKnett TED Talk: The Investment Logic for Sustaina...
Sustainability is the defining challenge of our time; but what groups can really drive the kind of progress needed? Chris McKnett makes the case that it's large institutional investors. He shows how strong financial data isn't enough, and reveals why investors need to look at a company's environmental, social and governance structures, too.
Audrey Choi TED Talk: Prioritizing Investing for Social C...
Can global capital markets become catalysts for social change? According to Audrey Choi, CEO of Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing, almost half of global capital is owned by individuals and that gives them the power to make a difference by investing in companies that champion social values.
2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corpor...
Concerned About Climate and other Environmental Risks? 2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corporate Sustainability Progress By Stuart Dalheim As we turn the corner into 2016, our attention turns to the upcoming elections. No, I am not referring to the elections for public office that already dominate the airwaves (though they are important too), but the opportunity investors have to participate in shareholder democracy by voting proxies during corporate annual general meetings. Springtime marks the height of the proxy season, which means investors can use their position as owners to vote on slates of corporate directors, make their voices heard about executive compensation packages, and cast ballots on a wide range of social and environmental shareholder proposals. Investors are...
Anthony Cortese's Peer Discussion after AASHE 2015
After the 2015 AASHE conference, First American Education Finance hosted a peer discussion, led by IEN's Principal Anthony Cortese. There were 40 attendees from higher education. The full video of this discussion can be found below.
Application of Fiduciary Duty to Sustainable Investment Practices Susan N. Gary, University of Oregon School of Law, Keith L. Johnson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Megan K. Jackson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. (November, 2015) Trustees and directors who manage funds as fiduciaries have to consider their duties of loyalty and care when they create investment policies or make investment decisions. Two recent statements, one from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and one from the Federal Department of Labor (the “DOL”), provide guidance on the fiduciary rules, and confirm that fiduciaries can consider material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors as part of an investment strategy that combines ESG factors with traditional financial tools. Trustees and directors who oversee...
Fiduciary Duty is Not an Obstacle to Addressing ESG
By Sonal Mahida, Senior Consultant, U.S. Strategic Projects, PRI Intro Outdated interpretations and limited understandings of materiality have led to the misconception that addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors falls outside the scope of fiduciary duty. As a result, incompatibility with fiduciary duty has often been given as a reason by asset managers and advisers for not incorporating ESG factors into the investment decision-making process. A recent Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report “Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century,” published along with UNEPFI, UNEP Inquiry and the UN Global Compact, looked at fiduciary duty across eight markets--US, Canada, UK, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Japan and South Africa--and found that for asset owners, fiduciary duty is not an obstacle to action....
The Road to Paris - Global Companies Speak Out Calling fo...
October 2015 The Road to Paris – Global Companies Speak Out Calling for Action on Climate Change Compiled by Trudy Pham & Timothy Smith – Walden Asset Management Introduction – Discussions about the importance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the decisions to be made in Paris on climate change have reached a new level of intensity. Investors, governments, environmental organizations, NGOs and companies are all part of the global buzz about COP. Recently, the Governor of Bank of England, Mark Carney, in a major address, asserted that the warming climate presents major risks to the global economy and global financial stability. He called climate change “the Tragedy of the Horizon” (think Tragedy of the...
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption By Fred Rogers, Vice President and Treasurer of Carleton College The problem of climate change is real and its resolution requires a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels worldwide. For this to occur, there must be a reduction in global demand, and thus both: (1) serious investment in alternative energy sources and (2) changes in social and economic behavior. While the UN Task Force is focused on GHG emissions and the socio-economic impacts of both climate change and the strategies of GHG reduction, much of the campus dialogue about climate change has been focused on the 350.Org initiative of divesting from the top 200 fossil fuel companies. There are many reasons to...
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption By Fred Rogers, Vice President and Treasurer of Carleton College The problem of climate change is real and its resolution requires a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels worldwide. For this to occur, there must be a reduction in global demand, and thus both: (1) serious investment in alternative energy sources and (2) changes in social and economic behavior. While the UN Task Force is focused on GHG emissions and the socio-economic impacts of both climate change and the strategies of GHG reduction, much of the campus dialogue about climate change has been focused on the 350.Org initiative of divesting from the top 200 fossil fuel companies. There are many reasons to...
The Road to Paris - Global Companies Speak Out Calling fo...
October 2015 The Road to Paris – Global Companies Speak Out Calling for Action on Climate Change Compiled by Trudy Pham & Timothy Smith – Walden Asset Management Introduction – Discussions about the importance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the decisions to be made in Paris on climate change have reached a new level of intensity. Investors, governments, environmental organizations, NGOs and companies are all part of the global buzz about COP. Recently, the Governor of Bank of England, Mark Carney, in a major address, asserted that the warming climate presents major risks to the global economy and global financial stability. He called climate change “the Tragedy of the Horizon” (think Tragedy of the...
Fiduciary Duty is Not an Obstacle to Addressing ESG
By Sonal Mahida, Senior Consultant, U.S. Strategic Projects, PRI Intro Outdated interpretations and limited understandings of materiality have led to the misconception that addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors falls outside the scope of fiduciary duty. As a result, incompatibility with fiduciary duty has often been given as a reason by asset managers and advisers for not incorporating ESG factors into the investment decision-making process. A recent Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report “Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century,” published along with UNEPFI, UNEP Inquiry and the UN Global Compact, looked at fiduciary duty across eight markets--US, Canada, UK, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Japan and South Africa--and found that for asset owners, fiduciary duty is not an obstacle to action....
Application of Fiduciary Duty to Sustainable Investment Practices Susan N. Gary, University of Oregon School of Law, Keith L. Johnson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Megan K. Jackson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. (November, 2015) Trustees and directors who manage funds as fiduciaries have to consider their duties of loyalty and care when they create investment policies or make investment decisions. Two recent statements, one from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and one from the Federal Department of Labor (the “DOL”), provide guidance on the fiduciary rules, and confirm that fiduciaries can consider material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors as part of an investment strategy that combines ESG factors with traditional financial tools. Trustees and directors who oversee...
Anthony Cortese's Peer Discussion after AASHE 2015
After the 2015 AASHE conference, First American Education Finance hosted a peer discussion, led by IEN's Principal Anthony Cortese. There were 40 attendees from higher education. The full video of this discussion can be found below.
2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corpor...
Concerned About Climate and other Environmental Risks? 2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corporate Sustainability Progress By Stuart Dalheim As we turn the corner into 2016, our attention turns to the upcoming elections. No, I am not referring to the elections for public office that already dominate the airwaves (though they are important too), but the opportunity investors have to participate in shareholder democracy by voting proxies during corporate annual general meetings. Springtime marks the height of the proxy season, which means investors can use their position as owners to vote on slates of corporate directors, make their voices heard about executive compensation packages, and cast ballots on a wide range of social and environmental shareholder proposals. Investors are...
Audrey Choi TED Talk: Prioritizing Investing for Social C...
Can global capital markets become catalysts for social change? According to Audrey Choi, CEO of Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing, almost half of global capital is owned by individuals and that gives them the power to make a difference by investing in companies that champion social values.
Chris McKnett TED Talk: The Investment Logic for Sustaina...
Sustainability is the defining challenge of our time; but what groups can really drive the kind of progress needed? Chris McKnett makes the case that it's large institutional investors. He shows how strong financial data isn't enough, and reveals why investors need to look at a company's environmental, social and governance structures, too.
Christine Bader TED Talk: The Evolution of a Corporate Id...
Christine Bader, Amazon's Director of Social Responsibility, discusses how we need to re-frame the conversation surrounding the alignment of business interests and social good. By focusing on where some have failed, she offers advice on how others can succeed.
Harish Manwani TED Talk: Profit's Not Always the Point
In this TED Talk, Harish Manwani, COO of Unilever, makes a passionate argument that including value, purpose and sustainability in top-level decision-making is not just savvy, it's the only way to run a 21st century business responsibly.
Application of Fiduciary Duty to Sustainable Investment Practices Susan N. Gary, University of Oregon School of Law, Keith L. Johnson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Megan K. Jackson, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. (November, 2015) Trustees and directors who manage funds as fiduciaries have to consider their duties of loyalty and care when they create investment policies or make investment decisions. Two recent statements, one from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and one from the Federal Department of Labor (the “DOL”), provide guidance on the fiduciary rules, and confirm that fiduciaries can consider material environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors as part of an investment strategy that combines ESG factors with traditional financial tools. Trustees and directors who oversee...
2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corpor...
Concerned About Climate and other Environmental Risks? 2016 Proxy Season Brings Opportunity to Accelerate Corporate Sustainability Progress By Stuart Dalheim As we turn the corner into 2016, our attention turns to the upcoming elections. No, I am not referring to the elections for public office that already dominate the airwaves (though they are important too), but the opportunity investors have to participate in shareholder democracy by voting proxies during corporate annual general meetings. Springtime marks the height of the proxy season, which means investors can use their position as owners to vote on slates of corporate directors, make their voices heard about executive compensation packages, and cast ballots on a wide range of social and environmental shareholder proposals. Investors are...
Anthony Cortese's Peer Discussion after AASHE 2015
After the 2015 AASHE conference, First American Education Finance hosted a peer discussion, led by IEN's Principal Anthony Cortese. There were 40 attendees from higher education. The full video of this discussion can be found below.
Audrey Choi TED Talk: Prioritizing Investing for Social C...
Can global capital markets become catalysts for social change? According to Audrey Choi, CEO of Morgan Stanley’s Institute for Sustainable Investing, almost half of global capital is owned by individuals and that gives them the power to make a difference by investing in companies that champion social values.
Chris McKnett TED Talk: The Investment Logic for Sustaina...
Sustainability is the defining challenge of our time; but what groups can really drive the kind of progress needed? Chris McKnett makes the case that it's large institutional investors. He shows how strong financial data isn't enough, and reveals why investors need to look at a company's environmental, social and governance structures, too.
Christine Bader TED Talk: The Evolution of a Corporate Id...
Christine Bader, Amazon's Director of Social Responsibility, discusses how we need to re-frame the conversation surrounding the alignment of business interests and social good. By focusing on where some have failed, she offers advice on how others can succeed.
Fiduciary Duty is Not an Obstacle to Addressing ESG
By Sonal Mahida, Senior Consultant, U.S. Strategic Projects, PRI Intro Outdated interpretations and limited understandings of materiality have led to the misconception that addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors falls outside the scope of fiduciary duty. As a result, incompatibility with fiduciary duty has often been given as a reason by asset managers and advisers for not incorporating ESG factors into the investment decision-making process. A recent Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) report “Fiduciary Duty in the 21st Century,” published along with UNEPFI, UNEP Inquiry and the UN Global Compact, looked at fiduciary duty across eight markets--US, Canada, UK, Germany, Brazil, Australia, Japan and South Africa--and found that for asset owners, fiduciary duty is not an obstacle to action....
Harish Manwani TED Talk: Profit's Not Always the Point
In this TED Talk, Harish Manwani, COO of Unilever, makes a passionate argument that including value, purpose and sustainability in top-level decision-making is not just savvy, it's the only way to run a 21st century business responsibly.
The Road to Paris - Global Companies Speak Out Calling fo...
October 2015 The Road to Paris – Global Companies Speak Out Calling for Action on Climate Change Compiled by Trudy Pham & Timothy Smith – Walden Asset Management Introduction – Discussions about the importance of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the decisions to be made in Paris on climate change have reached a new level of intensity. Investors, governments, environmental organizations, NGOs and companies are all part of the global buzz about COP. Recently, the Governor of Bank of England, Mark Carney, in a major address, asserted that the warming climate presents major risks to the global economy and global financial stability. He called climate change “the Tragedy of the Horizon” (think Tragedy of the...
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption
Thoughts on ESG Investing and Fossil Fuel Consumption By Fred Rogers, Vice President and Treasurer of Carleton College The problem of climate change is real and its resolution requires a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels worldwide. For this to occur, there must be a reduction in global demand, and thus both: (1) serious investment in alternative energy sources and (2) changes in social and economic behavior. While the UN Task Force is focused on GHG emissions and the socio-economic impacts of both climate change and the strategies of GHG reduction, much of the campus dialogue about climate change has been focused on the 350.Org initiative of divesting from the top 200 fossil fuel companies. There are many reasons to...