Over 15% of the world’s population lives with some kind of disability. However, disability issues and rights are often overlooked when we consider Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues.
In this episode, Kim Griego-Kiel sheds light on disability rights and the lack of attention it receives in ESG conversations. She highlights why disability inclusion is critical for approaching ESG holistically and unveils how inclusion contributes to successful business operations.
Kimberly discusses:
How the Disability Equality Index is improving ESG and the impact investing arena
The purchasing power the disability community holds globally
Reasons it’s critical for organizations to be inclusive for their business success
How do you hold individuals, investors, and larger companies accountable in a timely fashion when considering the conflict between Russia and Ukraine?
Learn how you can support Ukrainians from an investing standpoint in this week’s episode of Deep Impact Investing.
This week, Kimberly Griego-Kiel and Johann Klaassen welcome Sonia Kowal, President of Zevin Asset Management. Together, they talk about the Russian-Ukrainian situation while unveiling the importance of looking at corporate and individual investing exposures to Russian companies to mitigate humanitarian and financial risk.
Sonia, Kim, and Johann discuss:
The two major risks concerned with direct exposure to Russian companies in your mutual funds
How to push multinational corporations out of Russia
The overarching risk of investing in authoritarian regimes across the world
The critical role of community investment in Ukraine’s recovery
Sonia is Zenin Asset Management’s President and has over two decades of investment experience in managing corporate matters, business practices, and strategic planning. She is a member of the firm’s Board of Managers and the Investment Committee. She is passionate about the value of integrating environmental, social, and governance issues into investments and is a frequent speaker on the topic at conferences. She feels particularly strongly about racial equity, wealth inequality, and our disastrous criminal justice system.
About Johann Klaassen:
Johann is Horizons Sustainable Financial Services’ executive vice president and chief investment officer. Here he develops asset allocation strategies and oversees investment policy for Horizons’ individual and institutional clients. As a passionate advocate for SRI, a skilled navigator of its intricacies, and an enthusiastic early adopter of just about every new communication tool and technology, Johann is informed, informative, and far more accessible than his many commitments might imply. He directly serves clients across the nation, tending to specialize in serving unusual and special circumstances or needs.
Financial services are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly digital.
Trading digital assets — whether it is ESG data, crypto, or other financial products (across centralized and decentralized finance platforms) — is starting to change the overall investment process.
In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel sits down with returning guest David Bennell, advisor at Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS). Together, they talk about the standardization of impact investing in the government and industry and the effects of decentralized financial trading. Kim and David also unveil easy things we can do to adjust and be prepared for the newest era of the web.
Kim and David discuss:
Standardizing impact investing on the government and industry level
How crypto impacts the overall investment process
Accepting the new digital era based on trust and time
Understanding the ‘what’ and not the ‘how’ of web 3.0
David Bannell is a global leader in ESG and Sustainability engagement between corporations, investors, and non-profits. He bridges the ESG gap between investors and companies by creating engagement tools and collaborations like the investor portal Engage The Chain and the six-part global Food Systems Dialogue for Investors series, which had participation from over 75 major corporations and 50+ institutional investors and major banks.
While we may not see the effects of climate change in our everyday lives, its impact on our environment is increasing across the globe.
In this episode, Kim Griego-Kiel sheds light on vulnerability and adaptation as two key points of the UN’s 2022 Climate Change Report. This report assesses the impacts of climate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global and regional levels. It also reviews vulnerabilities and the capacities and limits of the natural world and human societies to adapt to climate change.
Kim discusses:
The vulnerability of our ecosystems, infrastructure, and energy systems
Impacting climate crisis through adaptation
The critical need to implement global sustainability practices for the global wellbeing
How you can use the UN’s report to start to take action with your investing
There is no question that climate change is affecting how we live on a global scale.
The food and agriculture systems are no exception. They are connected to every area of impact investing. As food systems become less resilient, they will create bigger problems for our global markets.
In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel explains what is wrong with our food and agricultural systems, why they are dying, and why it is in the best interest for investors to take part in making a change.
Kimberly discusses:
The serious threat of extinction to cacao, corn, wheat, rice, and coffee
The social, environmental, and financial cost of a deteriorating food system
How seed saving, slow food, and organic production processes can help make a change in our food systems
The importance of highlighting the food system’s market and impact to investors to generate change
Supporting women extends beyond bridging the gender inequality gap. It is also critical to support women to create sustainable developments and social change.
In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel talks about the importance of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month. Along with that, Kim highlights the different ways it relates to impact investing.
Kim teaches you how important it is to focus on breaking down female inequality for the sustainable development of the world and discusses several impactful leaders who are driving change in the financial industry.
Kim discusses:
The importance of celebrating women in March — and every day!
The interconnective nature of climate change and female inequality globally
Influential women in the impact investing space
How we can make an impact through different lenses in ESG investing
Hence, putting in measures to save our environment and allow the cycle to continue is extremely important for not only our own future, but also for the future of the generations to come.
In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel sits down with Vicki Benjamin, co-founder and CEO of Karner Blue Capital. Vicki explains what her company does for nature and the environment and how they are utilizing data collection and their own ESG process to combat nature and biodiversity loss around the world.
Vicki discusses:
The impact of the palm oil industry on nature, the environment, and the markets
The five drivers of nature and the impact of biodiversity loss
How Karner Blue is utilizing in-depth data collection practices to redefine ESG investing
A new ecosystem service that will value land based on its positive effects in the public markets
Vicki Benjamin is the co-founder and CEO of Karner Blue Capital, an SEC-registered investment adviser dedicated to investing in biodiversity protection, environmental stewardship, and animal welfare. Before establishing KBC, Vicki served as President, COO, and CFO for Calvert Investments, an industry leader in socially responsible investing. Vicki was a partner of a “Big 4” accounting firm for more than ten years before joining Calvert.
2021 was a great year for sustainable and ESG investing and its ability to outperform traditional markets.
However, it is important to understand the difference between ESG and impact investing when creating your portfolio.
In this episode, Kimberly explores the main differences between SRI, ESG, and impact investing. Plus, she explains the importance of understanding their roles in the market when building your portfolio.
Kim discusses:
Differentiating impact and ESG investing and ways they work together
How to measure and evaluate the impact of your investments with both strategies
How to investigate the companies you are supporting in your 401(k) investments
Ways Horizons Sustainable Financial Services can help guide where YOU choose to invest
As the new year brings you new opportunities and goals, remember to look toward the positive in both your personal and professional life.
In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel sits down with Aarón Garza, vice president for operations and compliance at Horizons Sustainable Financial Services. Kim and Aarón discuss his family, his professional background, and ways his new role will contribute to the team at the office.
Additionally, the firm’s chief investment officer, Johann Klaassen, sits down with Kim to review the economic and market data from 2021 and what’s to come for 2022.
Kimberly, Aarón, and Johann discuss:
Their exciting goals, projects, and potential professional and personal opportunities for 2022
Aaron’s background, family, and role
Potential for 2022 based on the economic and market standpoint successes of 2021
Positive indicators of clean energy and its performance compared to carbon energy
Aarón joined Horizons Sustainable Financial Services from the world of higher education administration, where he was involved in making sure that the offices, departments, and activities of a large university remained in compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations related to non-discriminatory practices.
Aarón is from El Paso, Texas. He earned his B.A. from St. John’s College and his J.D. from the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. Aaron is also a former U.S. Army infantryman and a combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War.
About Johann Klaassen:
Johann is Horizons Sustainable Financial Services’ executive vice president and chief investment officer. Here he develops asset allocation strategies and oversees investment policy for Horizons’ individual and institutional clients. As a passionate advocate for SRI, a skilled navigator of its intricacies, and an enthusiastic early adopter of just about every new communication tool and technology, Johann is informed, informative, and far more accessible than his many commitments might imply. He directly serves clients across the nation, tending to specialize in serving unusual and special circumstances or needs.
Have you ever dreamed about changing careers and moving across the world?
Priscilla Plummer, the founder of Global Sojourns Giving Circle (GSGC), made that dream her reality in 1990 when she moved across the world and traveled throughout the African continent. Using her travel experience and passion for philanthropy, she works to create an effective impact on Western and African female communities.
In this week’s episode, Priscilla joins Kimberly Griego-Kiel to detail her journey from working for a magazine to founding and running Global Sojourns Giving Circle, a successful non-profit organization. Priscilla highlights GSGC’s mission and ways they focus on sustainably supporting girls around education and empowerment.
Kimberly and Priscilla discuss:
Priscilla’s journey to South Africa and how she built Global Sojourns Giving Circle
The organization’s female-focused approach
The importance of learning and understanding cultural differences when working alongside GSGC
How deep and impactful change starts with women but must be continued by men
Board Member USA & Southern Africa, Priscilla Plummer is the founder of Global Sojourns Giving Circle (GSGC). Priscilla followed her passion to Africa more than 30 years ago, and nothing makes her happier than to connect travelers with her favorite people and places. Her MS in International Development underlies our deep commitment to culturally sensitive travel and philanthropic work.
