by Annie McShiras, Investment Associate, Self-Help Federal Credit Union
Impact investing has emerged as a major force in philanthropy. Last year the Global Impact Investing Network conducted a survey showing that the estimated value of the impact investing sector doubled between 2017 and 2018, increasing from $114 Billion to $228 Billion in assets under management. The rise of impact investing signals a shift from a “do-no-harm” approach to a demand for investments that actively produce measurable positive social and environmental outcomes.
by Gabe Rissman Co-Founder and President, YourStake.org
I rose to the podium, looked Exxon then-CEO Rex Tillerson in the eye, and spoke. “Why does Exxon fund climate-denying organizations, when you publicly support a carbon tax?” Tillerson deflected the question at the time: “we would never impinge on ALEC’s free speech.” D’oh. Two years later, in July 2018, Exxon ceased funding ALEC, the climate change denying organization I highlighted.
While difficult at the moment, the many conversations with my friends about money inspired me to explore a different path. Conversation after conversation, I started to chip away at what felt wrong about money, and we would talk about their “wish list” when it comes to finance. What came up again and again was the desire to feel smart about money decisions – “whatever I do should be easy to understand, available to all, convenient to do, and make me feel good and empowered.”
by Kristin Hull, Founder and CEO, Nia Impact Capital
While many of us have been at this for a while now, 2018 is the year we stand to make significant progress in our efforts to bring more women into the financial fold. The #MeToo movement has brought attention to women’s equality everywhere from the red carpet in Hollywood to the executive suite and the board room on Wall Street. The more recent Oscar’s hashtag #HereWeAre is also serving to raise awareness of the importance of women’s voices being included and heard.
By Kelly Coyne, VP, Global Women’s Strategies, Impax Asset Mgmt/Pax World Funds
Article
The financial services industry is a bit obsessed with trying to understand the next generation of investors – the notorious millennials. And for good reason – millennials represent the largest generation in history with a spending power of $1.5 trillion and growing. Many millennials are well into their wealth accumulation phase and have already begun to inherit more than $30 trillion in the largest wealth transfer of all time.
by Francis G. Coleman, Executive Vice President, CBIS
Blog
“Sometimes data behaves unethically…an algorithm that draws its lessons from the present reality can’t be counted on to improve the course of the future on its own.” – Antonio Garcia-Martinez, a former Facebook employee
We have officially entered the twilight zone.
As we have been speeding quickly along the information highway, enjoying our newfound access to information at breakneck speed and sometime encountering some speed bumps, never was it anticipated that humanity would get in the way.
by Cliff Feigenbaum, Founder, GreenMoney Journal (celebrating it's 25th Anniversary Year in 2017/18)
It began with a magic trick. My father’s friend would pull a quarter out from behind my ear and then make it disappear again. This became an apt metaphor for my relationship with money: one moment there and the next moment gone, feeding two powerful feelings about money: insecurity and lots of fear about never getting it back.
