Impact investing

“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.”
–Abraham Lincoln

These stirring words were spoken by arguably the greatest leader in the history of our nation; a man whose bold thinking incited perhaps the greatest progressive revolution of all time; a man who so cherished the sacred principles of freedom and justice for all, of equal rights for every man, woman and child, he gave his life for that greatest cause.

“Social responsibility” is not something commonly associated with the financial sector by most Americans. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, banking has consistently received some of the lowest consumer approval ratings of any industry in the country. 

Since the inception of trade, the most important part of investment management strategy has been the singular focus on yielding good financial returns. 

We’re told from the moment we start working that the responsible thing to do is to set money aside and “plan for your future.” For many people, this means making regular contributions into an IRA or employee-sponsored 401(k) plan. These investments, if managed appropriately, are designed to be your “nest egg” into retirement and beyond.

The tensions surrounding recent actions taken by North Korea have reignited the conversation around nuclear weapons and warfare.