Doing Well & Doing Good: Myths & Realities of Impact Investing

Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) or the act of excluding 'sin' stocks isn't a new concept for non-profit clients seeking impact through their investment portfolio. Over the past decade, this values-based investing approach has evolved from weeding out the offenders in the portfolio, to making an active decision to include Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into the investment decision process. Yet, despite its gaining popularity, ESG investing has not been widely adopted by non-profit organizations because of certain myths and beliefs. While many organizations express interest in values-based or ESG investing, they do not have a clear understanding of how they can achieve both mission alignment and targeted financial returns within their portfolios.

• Recognize how aligning the investment portfolio with the organization's mission can be a powerful stakeholder message
• Determine how not-for-profit organizations can implement an ESG without sacrificing returns
• Identify practical ways to implement an ESG portfolio and to measure the impact