17 Nov Muni Bonds as an ESG Strategy

17 November, 2017 | Posted by:

Impact investing, socially responsible investing (SRI),  socially conscious, and ethical investing are  investment strategies which seek to consider both financial return and social good to bring about a social change. A recent survey by Allianz Global Investors found that 68% of respondents aged 65 and over had a favorable view of ESG investing but...

25 Oct Studies show continued growth in impact investing

25 October, 2017 | Posted by:

Every week there seems to be another study about ESG or impact investing.  Here are some recent facts and figures… According to Morningstar, investors put $3 billion in U.S. ESG funds last year.  Sustainable investing had a market size of $8.72 trillion in the U.S....

16 Oct Heron Bond Portfolio Retrospective

16 October, 2017 | Posted by:

As the Heron Foundation's first impact bond portfolio manager, they asked me to do a look back at what impact investing looked like 15 years after the portfolio's creation.  The first report posted at Heron.org examined a taxable municipal bond that financed the construction and development...

30 Jan ESG Disclosure

30 January, 2017 | Posted by:

A recent post on WealthManagement.com noted the increase in sustainability disclosure alongside traditional financial disclosure.  The movement, encouraged by the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, allows investors a more complete picture of how companies behave as corporate citizens. Of particular note is the importance of third-party verification....

06 Jan Insights on wealth, worth and impact investing

6 January, 2017 | Posted by:

The 2016 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth® survey explores the wealthy – who they are and where they came from, how they built their wealth and how they plan to use it. Most of the respondents (77%) grew up middle class or poor.  Their success...

17 Dec Innovation Districts

17 December, 2016 | Posted by:

The National League of Cities (NLC) released a report on innovation areas within cities targeted to incubate creativity and build partnerships across sectors, highlighting Chattanooga.  Innovation Districts are urban planning models that catalyze economic growth by attracting entrepreneurs, highly skilled workers, and thought leaders. NLC...

08 Nov Phi Identified

8 November, 2016 | Posted by:

A recent article in Financial Advisor magazine asked if advisors are motivated to serve their clients.  The article highlighted research from the State Street Center for Applied Research and the CFA Institute which identified a new variable, phi, that influences investment outcomes.   Phi is an...

05 Nov Climate Gentrification

5 November, 2016 | Posted by:

Weather disproportionately affects those least able to afford it. Termed “climate gentrification”, the displacement of poor income residents by wealthier residents following weather-related disasters, is occurring throughout the country.   In an essay on Bloomberg.com, Christopher Flavelle highlights how housing authorities across the country are failing...