Dickinson College

Endowment Value: $558 million (2021)

Dickinson College is a private college located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In 2006, Dickinson joined the Investure consortium, an outsourced chief investment office that serves the needs of a select group of prestigious colleges and foundations. In 2010, Investure created a Sustainable Series within its Global Equity Fund in response to requests made by clients. A joint effort with Investure produced a set of proxy voting principles so that Dickinson College can participate in shareholder engagement. 

In addition to its relationship with Investure, the Dickinson Sustainability Investment Group (DSIG) advises the endowment board on ESG strategies and is responsible for providing a forum for the Dickinson community to raise and discuss questions regarding ESG investing practices. The most recent forum was held in October 2018 to discuss the college’s endowment structure and approach to sustainable investing. 

In April 2020, Dickinson College became one of the first colleges in the country to achieve carbon neutrality. To achieve this goal, Dickinson reduced its carbon emissions by 25% from its 2008 levels and purchased carbon offsets. In addition, 65% of Dickinson’s electricity is provided by solar power.

Dickinson College is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments: 

• AASHE STARS: Yes, Gold
• ACUPCC: Yes, Carbon Neutral by 2020
• Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
• CDP: No
• Divestment Goal: No
• Committee on Investor Responsibility: Yes: The Dickinson Sustainable Investment Group
• INCR: No
• Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
• Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
• Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes
• Principles for Responsible Investment: No

Other Sustainable Investing Practices and Resources:

• Sustainable Investments Task Force Recommendations
• Dickinson Initiatives in Sustainable Investing
• Recommended Proxy Voting Principles (Investure, LLC)
• Dickinson Sustainability

• Dickinson ESG Policies 

• Sustainable Investments Funds:
  • Green Revolving Fund - a revolving loan fund established in 2014 to finance climate action plan projects
  • Sustainability Global Equity Fund - $8 million of our endowment is committed to this sustainability fund, which is managed for use by Investure.

Pitzer College

Endowment Value: $144.3 million (2021)

Pitzer College is a private college located in Claremont, California with a student population of about 1,000. From innovative, green buildings to food waste initiatives, Pitzer College is a model of sustainability in the modern era. Such initiatives have earned it a second place rank in the 2018 Princeton Review Guide of 399 Green Colleges.

In 2014, Pitzer adopted several responsible investment practices such as considering ESG factors in portfolio manager selection and monitoring, establishing a sustainability fund as a subset of its endowment holdings, and divesting from fossil fuels (making Pitzer the first college in Southern California to divest from fossil fuels). Don Gould, trustee and chair of the investment committee at Pitzer College, published an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education outlining their rationale for divesting from fossil fuels. In this article, he shares responses to some of the most common concerns regarding divestment, including fiduciary duty, financial performance, the impact on fossil fuel companies, the hypocrisy of continuing to use fossil fuels after divesting, sacrificing returns, and politicizing the endowment.

In 2017, Pitzer College became the founding investor to the first-ever global equity index that is both ESG-focused and fossil fuel-free. According to the press release, “the fund is designed to help endowments, foundations and other nonprofit organizations meet their Responsible Investment goals.”

Pitzer College is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments: 

• IEN Member (2017)
• AASHE STARS: Yes, Silver
• ACUPCC: Yes, Carbon Neutral by 2050
• Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
• CDP: No
• Committee for Investor Responsibility: Yes
• Divestment Goal: Yes, divestment from fossil fuels
• INCR: No
• Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
• Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
• Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes
• Principles for Responsible Investment: No

Other Sustainable Investing Practices:

• Passive ESG Strategies Webinar (November 2017)
• Fireside Chat: The Pitzer College Story - IEN Bay Area Roundtable (September 2017)
• Pitzer College and BlackRock Launch First Ever ESG-Focused, Fossil Fuel-Free Global Equity Index Fund (September 2017)
• Pitzer to Divest 99% of Endowment (April 2014)
• Sustainability at Pitzer

San Francisco State University 

Endowment Value: $140.8 million (2021)

San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. It is a part of the California State University system. The endowment is managed by the San Francisco State University Foundation, an organization dedicated solely to philanthropy. 

In 2013, after working with student activists, the SF State Foundation voted unanimously to divest from all coal and tar sands companies, becoming the first public university and the first school on the west coast to do so. It also committed to researching the possibility of divestment from all fossil fuel companies.

In 2015, the SFSU Board was in the process of allocating $5 million to establish a green fund, as well as establishing a $500,000 student-managed investment fund. The goal of the student-managed fund is to expose students of different academic backgrounds to SRI investing. The SF State Foundation also calculated the carbon footprint of its portfolio and will measure the change in its footprint over time.

In 2016, SFSU partnered with IEN to host the Intentionally Designed Endowment Forum to promote conversation on endowment investing by bringing together campus decision-makers such as presidents, trustees, CFOs, CIOs, and others from campuses in California and the region.

San Francisco State University is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments: 

• IEN Founding Member (2016)
• AASHE STARS: Yes, Silver
• ACUPCC: No
• Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
• CDP: No
• Committee for Investor Responsibility: Yes
• Divestment Goal: Yes, divestment from coal and tar sands
• INCR: No
• Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
• Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
• Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes
• Principles for Responsible Investment: No

Other Sustainable Investing Practices:

• Agenda for Forum on Intentionally Designed Endowment at SFSU, co-hosted by IEN, August 2016
• "SF State Strengthens its Commitment to the Environment" April 2014
• San Francisco State University Sustainability

Resources from SFSU:

• Vice President for Advancement, Robert J. Nava, Speaks at International Seminar on Higher Education Innovation (2016)

Colorado State University 

Endowment Value: $558 million (2021)

Colorado State University is a public university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The CSU Foundation manages the endowment. The University’s strong commitment to sustainability has earned it the highest rank in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).

In 2016, the CSU Foundation published the sustainability strategic plan for the purpose of establishing a set of goals and timelines. The plan includes an effort to increase sustainable investments. The Committee on Investor Responsibility, composed of students, faculty, foundation board members, and other stakeholders, is “explicitly charged with developing and supporting initiatives in sustainable investment as outlined by the Socially Responsible Investment Policy.” According to its most recent STARS report, The CSU Foundation has invested into three different funds that focus on supporting Colorado technology and on improving social and environmental conditions in Colorado. The CSU Foundation continues to pursue other socially responsible investment opportunities that preserve the endowment.

Colorado State University is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments: 

• AASHE STARS: Yes, Platinum
• ACUPCC: No
• Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
• CDP: No
• Committee for Investor Responsibility: Yes
• Divestment Goal: No
• INCR: No
• Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
• Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
• Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes
• Principles for Responsible Investment: No

Other Sustainable Investing Practices and Resources from Columbia University:

• Sustainability at CSU

Humboldt State University 

Endowment Value: $32.1 million (2020)

Humboldt State University is a part of the California State University System located in Arcata, California. The Humboldt State University Advancement Foundation (HSUAF) oversees the endowment and uses negative screening to reduce its investments in harmful industries. 

In 2013, students approached the HSUAF at an associated students meeting to advocate for divestment from fossil fuels. In response, the HSUAF took many steps to advance its tradition of environmental sustainability. The Social and Environmentally Responsible Offset Policy (SEROP) was adopted in April of 2014, making HSU the first state University in the US to commit to full fossil fuel divestment. That same year, the HSUAF decided to direct 10% of its portfolio to green funds and explored creating a “Green Challenge,” allowing for another 10% of the portfolio to be shifted to green funds for every $500,000 donated to the endowment.

In 2016, the HSU Office of Sustainability published a comprehensive Climate Action Plan that outlines more than 50 action items to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. HSU also became a Charter Signatory for the Campus Climate Commitment, which encompasses the goals of achieving both carbon neutrality as well as improving community resilience.

Humboldt State University is a participant or member of the following Initiatives & Commitments:  

• IEN Founding Member (2016)
• AASHE STARS: No
• ACUPCC: Yes, Carbon Neutral By 2050
• Billion Dollar Green Challenge: No
• CDP: No
• Committee for Investor Responsibility: Yes
• Divestment Goal: Yes, fossil free divestment
• INCR: No
• Montreal Carbon Pledge: No
• Sustainable Investment Fund: Yes
• Sustainable Investment Policy: Yes
• Principles for Responsible Investment: Yes

Other Sustainable Investing Practices:

• Humboldt State University Foundation Expands Social and Eco-Conscious Investing (2019)
• Humboldt Sustainability
• Climate Action Plan (2016)
• Humboldt State University Helps Lead Push for Fossil-Free, Greener Investing