Why impact investing matters to me
Let me start things off with this. I have no training in investing. I have a financial advisor who knows virtually nothing about my values. I feel overwhelmed and complacent about my investment decisions. Quite honestly, my investment strategy to date has been shut my eyes and hope for the best. I call it the ostrich approach.
What’s ironic about my approach to investing is, I’ve worked in financial services since 2002! Even though I’ve been surrounded with finance most of my professional life, I’ve always felt intimidated when it came to making money moves. I’ve put myself in the background not engaging in the process out of fear and lack of expertise. It wasn’t until quite recently that I learned about impact investing. Impact investing is about making investments into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to have a positive social or environmental impact alongside a financial return. To break that down, what that means is, investing in things that benefit society and/or our environment in addition to making a positive return. Seeing investing as an extension of my views on sustainability, human rights and the future of our planet has been a real awakening. It’s important to me that if I’m doing what I can in my day-to-day life to help our world, that my investments are also in alignment with what I value. I don’t want to be talking out both sides of my mouth. I want to evolve and become an active participant in my investments and move from feeling somewhat shameful about my financial engagement to feeling powerful and proud. My money can make the world a better place while it’s concurrently helping to build my wealth.
I’ll be documenting my journey into the world of impact investing and you’re invited to come along.
Here are a few resources I’ve found helpful so far:
Foundational information on impact investing and the gold standard:
Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)
Book on how to do it:
Activate Your Money: Invest to Grow Your Wealth and Build a Better World by Janine Firpo
Groups and resources:
”Best of” resource list
Invest for Better
The Beam Network
