Tag Archives: Finances

Koffee with Kim: Exploring Interesting & Fun Financial Aspects (Ep. 86)



In this episode of Deep Impact Investing, Kimberly Griego-Kiel is all about unveiling the American financial reality.

This week, Kim takes listeners on a journey through the world of finance, from the history of the stock exchange to the current state of personal finances in the US. 

Kim covers a range of interesting and surprising areas of finance, providing insights into the world of the markets and even the daily financial reality of ordinary Americans.

Kim discusses:

  • When was the first stock exchange established
  • The cost of producing money
  • The truth about US debt
  • Ways financial security varies depending on race, culture, and households
  • What you should know about being financially healthy: Some must-know stats
  • And more!

Connect with Kimberly Griego-Kiel:


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What You Should Know About Your Portfolio’s Exposure to Russia with Johann Klaassen & Sonia Kowal (Ep. 67)



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
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Sonia Kowal:

Connect with Kimberly Griego-Kiel and Johann Klaassen:

About our Sonia Kowal:

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.



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56. Leadership & Community Investments as Crucial ESG Components — Part 2



In October 2021, Kimberly Griego-Kiel took part in the ESG For Impact! Conference in Colorado Springs. 

Now back with part two of her ESG for Impact! miniseries, Kim welcomes George Gay, the CEO of First Affirmative Financial Network, and Ebony Perkins, Self-Help Credit Union’s Vice President and Director of Investor Relations. 

George and Kim explore George’s military background and ways to gain leadership within the environmental, social, and governance investing arena, while Ebony reviews everything you need to know about community investments. Plus, she shares how Self-Help Credit Union can support you when you need it the most. 

Kim, George, and Ebony discuss:

  • How leadership skills are transferable from industry to industry
  • How 9/11 and the 2008 Market Crisis affected perceptions of success 
  • The lending business during the pandemic
  • The importance of understanding where your money ‘sleeps’
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with George Gay:

Connect with Ebony Perkins:

Connect with Kimberly Griego-Kiel

About George Gay:

George has worked at First Affirmative Financial Network since 1986, serving as the CEO since 1999. First Affirmative is a leading provider of professional services to investment professionals who focus on socially responsible investing, sustainable investing, ESG investing, and/or Impact Investing. Through their managed account service, Sustainable Investment Solutions TM, they currently manage roughly $1 Billion for clients around the country. Geroge is recognized as an industry role model and mentor. He’s a highly sought-after speaker, panelist, and counselor. He is a past recipient of the industry’s “SRI Service Award.”

About Ebony Perkins:

Ebony is a dedicated, solution-oriented social entrepreneur with a passion for community investing. In her career, she has scaled operations across 70 individual branches and 800 employees to grow cash investments in the social impact space, nearly doubling investments YoY from 2020 – 2021.  She has participated on a leadership team that has led overall deposit growth from $1.2B to $2.5B over five years through strategic planning, business development initiatives, and mergers and acquisitions. Ebony was elected to the Board of US SIF in 2020, the leading voice for sustainable investing across all asset classes. She has secured $250M + in community investments by engaging foundations, high net worth individuals, and Fortune 100 companies across industries, including tech, consumer goods, and financial services.

 


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55. How we can Create a New Economy With Rex Raimond — Part 1



In October 2021, Kimberly Griego-Kiel took part in the ESG For Impact! conference in Colorado Springs. 

During this two-day conference, Kim attended sessions focused on SRI investments, strategies, and concepts while connecting with like-minded professionals and industry leaders. 

One of those leaders was Rex Raimond, the director of The Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS) Initiative.

In the first part of the ESG for Impact! miniseries, Rex joins Kim to explain everything around investing in global food systems. They explore how food growth can impact our health and the environment and outline ways we can get into a new sustainable economy.

Kim and Rex discuss:

  • How food systems fit within the ESG arena
  • The destructiveness of the agricultural system
  • The financial component of growing food system operations
  • Consequences of not managing our land properly
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect with Rex Raimond

Connect with Kimberly Griego-Kiel

About Rex Raimond: 

Rex Raimond has more than 20 years of experience developing strategies and building effective partnerships for sustainable and equitable food systems. He applies his partnership-building skills to help build a movement among concessional, impact, and commercial investors, companies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to increase investment in principles-aligned food system businesses that are economically viable and deliver sustainable impact. Rex has worked on many aspects of food and agricultural systems transformation, including sustainable finance, crop insurance, and agricultural policy, market incentives for soil health practices, sustainable supply chains, food safety, science and emerging technologies, sustainable landscape planning, and climate change. 

 


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Episode 43: U.S. Farmers and Ranchers In Action: Creating Sustainable Food and Supply Chains – With Erin Fitzgerald



Farmers are a lot like scientists. In fact, for farmers to be able to cultivate healthy food for people like us, they need to know a lot about the way they’re producing and growing that food. 

How are farmers and ranchers working to bring us healthier meals while also enhancing sustainability efforts in agriculture?

Find out in this episode, as Erin Fitzgerald, the CEO of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers In Action (USFRA), sits down with Kimberly Griego-Kiel to continue the conversation on sustainable agriculture. Erin explains everything you need to know about USFRA and the firm’s role in creating solutions for economic and agricultural sustainability.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • USFRA’s vision and mission
  • How farmers and ranchers can reduce carbon emissions 
  • From cow Fitbits to cover crops: Technological innovations for farms and ranches 
  • Ways agriculture can contribute to America’s overall economic growth 
  • And more!

Tune in today and learn how you, too, can support the sustainable agriculture movement! 

Resources: Horizon Sustainable Financial Services: (505) 982-9661 | info@horizonssfs.com  | Facebook | Erin Fitzgerald | US Farmers and Ranchers in Action  | Film: 30 Harvest | Cow Manager | Episode 42: Investing in Climate-Smart Agriculture – With David Bennell


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Episode 42: Investing in Climate-Smart Agriculture – With David Bennell



The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) David Bennell focuses on creating high-quality products, services, and programs that deliver real value and set the standard for safety, sustainability, and profitability.

In this episode, join Kimberly Griego-Kiel as she sits down with David to discuss his contribution to the Transformative Investment in Climate-Smart Soil Agriculture report and to highlight what you really need to know about agricultural investment.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • How much private capital is in the United States’ agricultural system 
  • Why technological and financial innovation benefit the agriculture sector 
  • The role of greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production 
  • Why resilience is so important in an agricultural environment 
  • And more!

Listen in and find out why, at the end of the day, you are always investing in agriculture! 

Resources: Horizon Sustainable Financial Services: (505) 982-9661 | info@horizonssfs.com | Facebook | David Bennell | World Business Council for Sustainable Development |  

Report: Transformative Investment in Climate-Smart Agriculture


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Episode 41: An In-Depth Look at Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSR)



You’ve likely heard the term CSR (Corporate Sustainability Reporting) at least once. But do you really know what this type of reporting entails and why it’s so important?

Find out in this episode as Kimberly Griego-Kiel takes you along for an in-depth look at CSR. By outlining its benefits, challenges, solutions, and guidelines, Kim explains CSR’s role within corporations and reveals how it fits into the overall idea of sustainability. 

In this episode, you will learn:

  • The history and purpose of Corporate Sustainability Reporting (CSR) 
  • Challenges associated with CSR
  • The role of CSR in a firm’s profit and ESG metrics  
  • Kim’s take on how to achieve good quality CSR 
  • How millennials are shaping the future of sustainability 
  • And more!

Listen in for your crash course on the ins and outs of CSR!

Resources: Horizon Sustainable Financial Services | info@horizons


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Episode 40: ESG and Sustainable Investing Predictions for 2021



What can we expect to see from sustainable investing in 2021?

Find out in this episode as Kimberly Griego-Kiel reveals her ESG and sustainable investing predictions for the year! 

Join Kim as she forecasts what might lay ahead based on industry research findings. Plus, she shares the potential benefits ESG investing can bring to the government, citizens, and corporations alike.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • How impact investing has grown since 2018 
  • Why more companies and individuals are choosing sustainable investing 
  • ESG and social investing trends of 2021 
  • Why corporation sustainability reporting could be a new requirement in upcoming years 
  • And more!

Tune in today to learn Kim’s view on 2021’s sustainable investing industry!

Resources:

Horizon Sustainable Financial Services | info@horizonssfs.com  | Facebook505-982-9661 | 2020 US Social Investment Forum Report 

 


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Episode 39: A Reflection on the 2020 Markets, Economy, and Unemployment Rates



COVID-19 has impacted almost all areas of our lives, including the economy and markets. 

However, now that we’ve entered 2021, we are starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

In this episode, join Kimberly Griego-Kiel and Johann Klaassen as they reflect on the 2020 economy, market, unemployment, and ESG numbers to create a vision for what’s to come in 2021.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • The eye-opening 2020 unemployment rates in some parts of the country
  • Reasons why the stock market is improving 
  • How positive economic performance is related to ESG and social impact investing
  • Why you should be careful about the idea of “getting back to normal”
  • And more!

Listen today to take a look back on 2020 and to prepare for all that’s to come in 2021!

Resources:  Horizon Sustainable Financial Services | info@horizonssfs.com  | Facebook

505-982-9661 | Johann Klaassen 


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Episode 38: 15 Tips & Tricks for Saving and Budgeting in 2021



Whether we make $10 or $100 an hour, many of us are always looking for ways to better save our money. 

In this episode, Kimberly Griego-Kiel reveals 15 tips and tricks to help you maximize your savings in 2021. Kim shares money-saving strategies to help you work towards your savings goals and highlights ways a monthly budget plan can complement your savings process. 

In this episode, you will learn:

  • About saving for emergency funds, vacations, or debt repayments
  • Bulk buying, gardening, homemade meals, and streaming services as affordable alternatives
  • Benefits of a clean and clear credit score 
  • What to ask yourself when making big purchases 
  • And more!

Join Kim now and discover how you can optimize your spending, saving, and budgeting for 2021!  

Resources: Horizon Sustainable Financial Services: (505) 982-9661 | info@horizonssfs.com  | Facebook