Responsible Investing

If we want to reorient business and economies towards social and environmental sustainability we must also impact those who have the strongest influence on companies. Namely, the shareholders and investment professionals, whether private individuals or fund managers or pension fund trustees, who control the companies' stock. Foremost among the US's shareholders are pension funds, which directly and indirectly control 46% of the US GDP and which own 33% of the shares quoted on the New York Stock Exchange.

With the purpose of impacting pension fund investment strategies,the Global Academy Institute for Sustainable Capitalism is partnering with Progressive Asset Management, one of the country's most experienced investment organizations dedicated to social and environmental responsibility. As a pioneer in developing responsible investment portfolios, Progressive Asset Management helps investors understand that investing in socially and environmentally responsible companies is not only the right choice from a moral and societal standpoint, but that it can yield superior financial returns as well. For example, over the last 5 years, the Domini 400 Social Index Fund of environmentally and socially screened companies has regularly outperformed the comparable S&P 500 Index.

Bottom Line Conference Series: The Future of Fiduciary Responsibility
San Francisco: April 18 – 20, 2001
The Global Academy and Progressive Asset Management hosted the first in a series of conferences aimed at pension fund trustees and pension fund managers. This educational forum which assembled fiduciaries investing over $1 trillion in assets was designed to explore and debate the growing inclusion of social and environmental factors within the context of public and private fiduciary responsibility. Seminars and discussions covered a broad range of issues including corporate governance, the legal responsibility of fiduciaries, financial performance of socially screened investments, tobacco divestment, community investing and alternative investments, and shareholder advocacy.

The Global Academy and Progressive Asset Management, together with additional partners, is currently planning Bottom Line 2003, at the request of 2001 conference participants.  The partners are also working on a plan to develop an Institute which will offer ongoing educational programs and networking opportunities for the pension fund world on CSR topics. (More...)

Other Activities of the Global Academy and its Principals
PYMWYMIC - Global Academy chair Walter Link is a co-founder of PYMWYMIC, the "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Company," a closed investment fund investing in socially and environmentally responsible companies including Ben and Jerry's, Benexlux a company that provided Human Rights Watch with the right to claim a percentage of its profits.

Investors Circle (IC) - Walter Link, Global Academy Chairman, is a member of the Investors Circle, a network of over 100 individual venture capital investors and investments funds with a social and environmental orientation.  IC has provided start-up capital and additional funds for numerous socially and environmentally responsible companies.  IC members also co-create projects and conferences.

Partner
Progressive Asset Management, Inc. was established in 1987 as the first independent socially responsible investment broker/dealer. Progressive Asset Management has provided leadership for tobacco divestment, implemented sustainable development initiatives, called for responsible public investment, and worked to create networks to promote corporate social responsibility such as EMPRESA. 

In 1999, Progressive Asset Management, Inc. formed a strategic alliance with Financial West Group to establish the PAM Network. The Progressive Asset Management (PAM) Network is a national association of socially responsible investment consultants who provide individuals and institutions with a way to invest for financial return and social progress at the same time.
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