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Handbook for Climate-Related Investment across Asset Classes provides a guide for mission investors
April 22, 2009
David Wood, Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009
The Boston College Institute for Responsible Investment has just published a Handbook for Climate-Related Investment across Asset Classes, a survey of portfolio-wide strategies for investors to manage the risks and opportunities related to climate change. It covers eight asset classes – cash, fixed-income, public equity, private equity, real estate, hedge funds, commodities, and infrastructure – and is meant to help investors:
• Devise a portfolio-wide strategy to climate-related investing;
• Identify the asset class specific considerations for climate-related investing; and
• Highlight existing and potential investment opportunities across asset
classes.
We hope that it is of use to mission investors as they consider how climate change can impact their endowments, and vice versa. The handbook is a followup to the Handbook on Responsible Investment Across Asset Classes published in late 2007.

posted 8:10AM 04/22/2009 by David Wood

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Threshold Group gathers a Community of private family investors and others interested in Mission-Related Investing
April 17, 2009
Lisa Hagerman, Friday, April 17th, 2009
Threshold Group, a multi-family office headquartered in Gig Harbor, WA, has created a virtual “C-MRI” (Community for Mission-Related Investing) to provide a friendly forum to exchange ideas on mission investing trends in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere.   Leadership Committee member, The Russell Family Foundation, in Gig Harbor, WA as well as the Massena Foundation, of Seattle are among the call participants.
Recent speakers included Carsten Henningsen, of Portfolio 21, a leader in socially responsible investments based in Portland, Oregon.   In their talks with foundations, Henningsen said they tend to hear that their products relating to sustaining local economies fall within the broad category of “Community Investing”.   Portfolio 21 offers a global equity mutual fund, , a separate account portfolio, and a private income fund focusing on their local region in the Pacific Northwest.   Their office is located in the Ecotrust Natural Capital Center in Portland, Oregon—a building that serves as the hub for many environmental organizations and activities. A related firm, Upstream 21, acquires small, locally owned private companies whose products are designed to benefit and sustain their employees, their communities, and the environment (Upstream 21).

Lisa Hagerman of the More for Mission Campaign gave an overview of the Campaign with example strategies and investments from Leadership Committee members KL Felicitas Foundation, Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation. See the presentation here.

Sarah Cleveland of Watson Wyatt spoke on the emerging work in the field of responsible investment consultants.    The Boston College Institute for Responsible Investment held a convening in early April that gathered a group of consultants advising institutional clients on responsible investing.   This new network is an important development to show the mission investing community that both mainstream consultants and boutique firms are advising on mission investing strategies and investment opportunities.

posted 4:18PM 04/17/2009 by Lisa Hagerman

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Consultants in Responsible Investing show MRI opportunities abound
April 06, 2009
Lisa Hagerman, Monday, April 6th, 2009
A group of 35 consultants and other stakeholders from across the country gathered at Boston College to discuss the field of responsible investing consulting at a one-day event, "The Evolution of Responsible Investment Consulting." The conveners, David Wood, Director of the Boston College Institute for Responsible Investment (IRI), and Valerie LaVoie, Research Associate at the IRI brought together a distinguished group of investment consultants ranging from larger consultants to the boutique firms all engaged at varying levels in broadly, advising their clients on responsible investing strategies and investment opportunities. The range of consultants included those with clients across different types of institutional investors including foundations, private and public pension funds. The day included thoughtful discussion and exchange on the state of the field and definitional issues, crafting a methodology in responsible investing, and tools needed to advance the field on both the demand and supply side.
The lively discussion showed that there is a growing pipeline of product offerings across both the public and private markets by asset classes targeting market-rate financial returns along with ancillary social impacts.
To see a copy of the meeting agenda click here (PDF). Summary notes and next steps to further the field of responsible investment consulting will soon be made available at the Boston College IRI.

posted 11:44AM 04/06/2009 by Lisa Hagerman

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