Where Making an Impact is the News

Headlines

Microsoft’s deal for Three Mile Island energy shows investors just how voracious AI can be
The Aha Moment: Is your advisor not really hearing you? There is a tool for that
The Sustainable Finance Podcast: 3 experts with strategies to spur climate adaptation and resilience
The E of ESG, the environment, is top of mind for asset owners in 2024
Ending deforestation is critical for emissions targets, and food companies’ bottom line
Women over 50 are worried about the U.S. economy and that has big election ramifications
Women older than 50 are increasing concerned about the state of the U.S. economy, saying rising costs for housing, groceries and medical care are threatening their economic security, a new poll from AARP shows. An overwhelming 80% of women voters 50+ say...
Musa Capital’s Allen Smith aims to close the racial gap in venture funding
How the Fed’s interest-rate cut will affect your sustainable investments and personal finances

Impact investing produces returns in line with the most widely used portfolio strategies.

88%
Investors overwhelmingly state that impact investments meet or exceeded financial expectations.
Source: GIIN 2020 Impact investor survey
32%
of women choose their investments based on their social or environmental impact.
Source: GIIN 2020 Impact inves tor survey
$1.164T
Global Impact Investment Market Size
Source: GIIN 2022: Sizing the Impact Investing Market report

Our Mission

Our mission is changing the way investment money is perceived–-as an opportunity for good.

Good versus evil, a common theme in the movies. Why not a common theme in investing? Well, not everything is black and white, metaphorically speaking. But that shouldn’t stop you from using your money to push for positive changes in the world. That’s what we’re doing. We’re highlighting companies, people, and investment opportunities that are moving in the right direction. You just need to choose the direction that’s right for you.

Equities News is creating a space that allows you to learn and take action. We’re glad you’re here.

FAQs

Why impact investing now?

While impact investing has historically taken place in the private markets, four recent trends have resulted in increasing demand by individual investors who almost exclusively invest via the public market in stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds.

  1. Many of these private companies are choosing to go public  🙌🏾
  2. Existing public companies are shifting to incorporate positive social and environmental initiatives 👏🏽
  3. Growth in the number of investors strategically signaling that impact matters 👊🏼
  4. Governments and policymakers are increasingly creating incentives to support positive initiatives. 💲
What's the difference between sustainable investing, socially responsible investing or ESG investing?

These other terms are useful, but we have three goals that only ‘impact investing’ addresses:

  • To focus on an investment strategy (not a framework)
  • To educate our audience in a way that is actionable–Choose your impact
  • To be inclusive of companies working to make positive changes, regardless of industry.

For context:

Sustainable investing and socially responsible investing (SRI) are often used interchangeably with impact investing, with adjustments made for specific company, policy or industry focus.

Values-based Investing is an umbrella term that encompasses impact investing, sustainability investing, socially responsible investing (SRI); and, environmental, social and governance (ESG). This term does a great job, but somewhat lacks real marketing punch.

ESG was initiated as a framework, not an investment strategy. ESG (environmental, social and governance) helps us understand how a company manages risks and opportunities around sustainability issues. It looks into the past and provides an evaluation. ‘ESG investing’ often focuses on eliminating industries from portfolios.

What kind of returns can I expect?

An impact or sustainable investing strategy is used to target a wide range of returns from below market to market rate, depending on investors’ strategic goals and risk tolerance. A financial advisor can help steer you to investments that are suitable and review the potential returns of each.

How did you choose which industry segments to focus on?

We use the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) organization as our main authority for defining our segments.

The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education.