The tide is turning: more people are thinking about their moral, social and environmental values when they shop, play, and invest. Impact investing is going mainstream with more robust and consistent impact measurement and monitoring happening every day. The blowback on ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) makes true impact investing (which requires impact measurement) all the more relevant. Will changing how people view money change the world? Well, it isn’t a panacea for all that afflicts us but as they say, “follow the money”. Investors have power. Use yours wisely.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
This powerful quote is how Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison opened his keynote address at the Minnesota Council on Foundations annual conference last month. As Americans, we stand for individual freedom, the right to pursue happiness, and the dignity of each person. These fundamental values are under assault. We need to muster our courage and act. Perhaps it’s reaching out to a friend with disabilities who is worried about funding cuts. Maybe it’s shopping and dining at non-traditional places and restaurants such as those found on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Or maybe it’s running for public office so we’ll have better leadership choices. Let me know what actions you’re taking in these fraught times.
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