Welcome to our monthly Impact News Roundup, where we highlight interesting news in
the impact investing industry along with insights from Oikocredit US. We are dedicated
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Redirecting Capital to Accelerate Racial Equity
A webinar recently held by the Croatan Institute offered an interesting perspective on how advisors and investors can create a portfolio that seeks to address racial inequality while mitigating risk. This discussion was moderated by Croatan Institute Senior Fellow and former Executive Director of Oikocredit USA (our predecessor organization), Sharlene Brown.
“Specifically, Black women are a really critical piece of the puzzle. When we think about addressing systemic poverty and economic inequality, Black women represent a tremendous GDP opportunity for our country.”
DIY Impact Investing on the Rise
Everyone wants to make a difference. The number of do-it-yourself investors is on the rise. "Big Exchange," an investment platform that specializes in impact investing products, saw their customer base grow by 300% over the last year, with the majority of investors opting for a ready-made bundle of funds.
“Customers tell us they are easy to understand and give them good access to a range of asset managers and funds - and thereby diversifying their investment."
Celebrating International Women's Month with Oikocredit US and Oikocredit Canada
This year on Monday, March 7, join The Social Economy through Social Inclusion (SETSI), Oikocredit Canada and Oikocredit US for a one-hour webinar to celebrate International Women’s Day and discuss “Women in Cooperatives.”
Our four panelists, including Yolirruth Núñez and Sister Corinne Florek, will discuss the theme of International Women’s Day 2022: #Break the Bias. We hope participants will leave with ideas on how cooperatives can bring us closer to a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
How ESG Investments Impact Portfolio Construction
Institutional Investor breaks down the risks and rewards of responsible investing. This article offers informed perspectives and insights from experts such as Chris Vella, the CIO of Multi-Manager Solutions at Northern Trust Asset Management.
“It has been genuinely interesting to watch the entire investment industry shift in a very short time span in the context of investment strategies built with mostly longish time horizons in mind.”
Secrets of Sustainable Investing
Amy Domini is the founder and chair of Domini Impact Investments. In her opinion, finding good corporate citizens is the best way to make money.
"A lot of people enjoy getting to know companies and making decisions that suit them personally. I would urge them to focus on companies that will improve people’s lives."
Sub-Saharan Africa: Agri-Business Capital Fund Receives First Private Investment with $5M Bank of America Funding
Bank of America announced a $5 million investment in the Agri-Business Capital Fund, an impact fund that invests in smallholder farmers and rural agri-businesses to support sustainable and inclusive agriculture in developing countries.
“Bank of America’s backing shows how public and private sector capital can come together to deliver additional impact. This is a first-of-a-kind investment in the ABC Fund and we hope it to be the first of many.”