IEN Working Groups meet regularly to advance key strategies in support of the network's goals. Below, is a brief description of the current Working Groups. Some are intended to be long-standing, while others form around specific tasks for a short period of time. If you are interested in participating in existing Working Groups, or forming new ones, please contact us.
Fiduciary Duty & Policy
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.
Trustee Peer Learning Group
Connecting trustees to create opportunities for peer-to-peer learning among college and university fiduciaries on sustainable investing.
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.
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.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Educating and supporting endowments in considering diversity, equity, and inclusion factors at all levels of the investment process.
Gender Lens Investing
This working group aims to educate and connect college and university endowments as they look to incorporate gender lens investing factors in all levels of the investment process.
Sustainable Retirements Initiative
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.
Net Zero Endowments Initiative
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
To see a list of IEN's past Working Groups, click here.