Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Earlier this month, I got to moderate an episode of ESGX Live – exploring how asset owners, investment advisors, and asset managers can work together to unlock value across the impact investing ecosystem.
I started with highlights from our new Impact Investing Handbook to give an overview of the impact investing landscape.
Although asset owners can now intentionally steward their assets for social and environmental improvement, asset owners can’t do it alone. Systemic impact requires cross-sector collaboration among philanthropists, policymakers, and investors. Within the impact investing field itself, asset owners rely on investment advisors and investment managers to optimize outcomes.
In the subsequent panel, we heard from some of these impact investing stakeholders. I was joined by Stacey Faella, Woodcock Foundation; Michael Lear, The Capital Group; Myrna Rivera, Consultiva Wealth Management Corp; and Tom Simunovic, Trillium Asset Management. The panelists emphasized the importance of cooperation and communication in advancing the field.
Here are some highlights:
Stacey (asset owner): "Frequent communication [between asset owners and advisors/managers]… creates greater clarity, greater transparency on both sides. And it’s also led to more opportunity to discuss and hone our objectives together and make the process more collaborative.”
Michael (investment advisor): “Clients should really come to their advisors with questions about whether their portfolio is aligned with their values.”
Myrna (investment advisor): “My job has been pedagogical. It’s been about teaching, about helping people imagine being able to make investments, make returns and at the same time create jobs in their own communities.”
Tom (asset manager): “A big part of the evolution [of impact investing] is driven by the feedback cycle, the loop of communication and information that we get from our advisor partners and from their end clients."
Accelerating progress in impact investing will require just this kind of ongoing open exchange of ideas and goals.
We look forward to working with you to make this happen.
All the best,
Steve