How does Philanthropiece align our investment strategy with our purpose?
In a world where environmental sustainability and social equity are at the forefront of many investor’s minds, the Philanthropiece Foundation has committed to transitioning 100% of its investments to the ESG sector. This means that our resources support companies that align with our values by prioritizing responsible environmental, social, and corporate governance behaviors. Through this steadfast commitment, we recognize that change is often created through the mindful use of monetary resources, and thus, it’s paramount that our investments maximize the positive return for Philanthropiece, the planet, and society.
A values aligned portfolio
We recognize that in order for our core values and mission to be upheld by our investments, it is imperative that we perform due diligence when searching for financial advisors and managed funds that view social responsibility with the same level of importance that we do. With this in mind, we have selected advisors at Baird and J.P. Morgan that truly understand both our values and our need for financial return. By meticulously reviewing our criteria for socially responsible investments, our advisors have created a portfolio that aligns with our principles as closely as possible while still adhering to our risk tolerance. In addition to working with our financial advising team, we have invested financial resources into Better Ventures—an innovative venture capital fund. By supporting Better Ventures, we are also supporting their mission to fund promising startups that deliver both strong financial returns and progress towards achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Holding ourselves accountable
We recognize the difficulty of completely balancing our values with our financial needs due to the ever-evolving notion of ESG, however, we diligently work with our financial advisors and Advisory Board to ensure there is constant improvement within our portfolio. Questions we ask ourselves include:
- How is the investment sector involving?
- What kind of impact are we having with our programs…as well as our investments?
- Are we prioritizing investments that champion equitable climate action?
- Where are we already invested in companies that care about making a positive impact so that they can do more of what they are doing?
As we pursue socially responsible investment as a core tenant of our work at Philanthropiece, we are inspired by and learn from: Decolonizing Wealth Project, Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network, International, Raven Capital, Green Futures Wealth, and many more initiatives. What else should we be researching, investing in, and taking action on? We are committed to being part of transforming the sector of philanthropy, and know that pursuing a responsible approach to investing is a critical element to piecing together a better world. We invite you to support us in this work.
Nik Kassogue served as Philanthropiece’s Intern in Finances during the Summer of 2021. He is currently a student at Colgate University, where he majors in Economics and participates in activities such as Envestnet, the Black Student Union, and Colgate Rugby.