SocialFunds

By Robert Kropp. The oil and gas giant responds to years of shareowner action by appointing atmospheric scientist Susan Avery to its board of directors.

January 20, 2017 Investors Challenge Mutual Funds on Proxy Voting    by Robert Kropp Sustainable investment firms respond to update by Ceres by pressuring mutual funds on their proxy voting records relating to climate change. Second in a two-part series. SocialFunds.com — When Ceres recently updated its annual tally of mutual fund voting on climate […]

January 07, 2017 Many Large Mutual Funds Continue Failure to Address Climate Change    by Robert Kropp Ceres updates its annual report on voting climate-related resolutions by mutual funds, noting that several PRI signatories failed to support a single resolution in 2016. SocialFunds.com — When a financial institution chooses to become a signatory to the […]

January 02, 2017 US Chamber Targeted Senate in 2016 Dark Money Spending    by Robert Kropp Public Citizen reports that only the National Rifle Association spent more than the Chamber of Commerce’s $30 million during the 2016 federal election. SocialFunds.com — A few years ago, I applied for an investigative journalism fellowship with the Edmond […]

December 17, 2016 Companies Challenged to Adopt Science-Based Climate Goals    by Robert Kropp Over 100 publicly traded companies have reported to CDP that they will adopt science-based emissions reduction plans, and letters from members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility intend to hold them to their promises. SocialFunds.com — It’s still too early […]

December 16, 2016 Investors Target Chevron for Doing Business in Burma    by Robert Kropp A shareowner resolution co-filed by Azzad Asset Management requests that Chevron cease doing business with the government of Burma until state-sanctioned violence against the Rohingya minority is ended. SocialFunds.com — In 2012, the Obama administration dialed back economic sanctions against […]

August 26, 2016 Impact Measurement Can Drive Business Value    by Robert Kropp The Global Impact Investing Network surveys impact investors and learns that in addition to environmental and social benefits, measuring their investments can improve financial performance. SocialFunds.com — In a report published in June, the US SIF Foundation acknowledged that while “the work […]

August 18, 2016 Human Rights Most Important Issue in Corporate Supply Chains    by Robert Kropp Ethical Corporation reports on the results of its survey of corporations and other stakeholders, addressing risk and opportunity in corporate supply chains. SocialFunds.com — In the runup to its supply chain summit, to be held in London in October, […]

August 16, 2016 Financial Stability Board to Review Governance Principles    by Robert Kropp The international body, formed to promote financial stability following the global financial crisis, seeks to determine how its member jurisdictions have implemented the G20/OECD Principles of Corporate Governance. SocialFunds.com — When the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) published a concept release […]

August 12, 2016 SEC Urged to Strengthen ESG Reporting Requirements    by Robert Kropp Ceres organizes an investor coalition calling for regulations to strengthen corporate climate reporting, while US SIF and ICCR issue a joint press release urging mandatory sustainability reporting. SocialFunds.com — In April, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) published a concept release […]

July 30, 2016 After the Conventions    by Robert Kropp While it seems implausible that investors concerned with environmental and social justice will vote for Donald Trump, some of the positions take by Hillary Clinton during her years of public service merit scrutiny. SocialFunds.com — Amid the bombast and outright demagoguery of last week’s Republican […]

July 29, 2016 Major Pension Funds Still Funding Deforestation    by Robert Kropp Friends of the Earth and As You Sow create a free online database to help educate individual investors about which retirement funds continue to invest in companies engaged in deforestation for palm oil production. SocialFunds.com — Facing increased scrutiny from sustainable investors […]

July 08, 2016 Banking Lags on Human Rights    by Robert Kropp A report by the NGO BankTrack reveals that most major global banks are failing to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in their financing. SocialFunds.com — A recent report published by a group of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) revealed that […]

July 07, 2016 Are Big Banks Ignoring Paris Climate Agreement?    by Robert Kropp The seventh edition of the Fossil Fuel Finance Report Card reveals that while some progress has been made in exiting the financing of coal mining, global financial institutions are lagging badly in other extreme fossil fuels and human rights. SocialFunds.com — […]

June 24, 2016 $5 Trillion Investor Coalition Supports Human Rights Benchmark    by Robert Kropp The coalition, coordinated by Boston Common Asset Management, hopes that the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark will help improve corporate human rights disclosures and aid investors in their engagement with companies. SocialFunds.com — In March, a consortium led by Aviva Investors, […]

June 21, 2016 Pepsi Challenged on Palm Oil Worker Exploitation    by Robert Kropp A report from three NGOs reveals that violations of workers’ rights on the palm oil plantations of PepsiCo’s joint venture partner in Indonesia includes child labor. SocialFunds.com — Most sustainable investors are well aware of the severe environmental impacts of deforestation […]

May 26, 2016 BlackRock Shareowners Vote on CEO Pay    by Robert Kropp The Stephen M. Silberstein Revocable Trust files a shareowner resolution with the mutual funds giant, requesting that its proxy voting practices reflect a link between executive compensation and corporate performance. SocialFunds.com — Despite his millionaire status, Stephen Silberstein is viewed as a […]

May 06, 2016 SEC Backs Shareowner Challenge of Dominion Nuclear Plant    by Robert Kropp The utility’s effort to exclude the resolution calling for analysis of the financial risks associated with a nuclear reactor which could cost over $19 billion is turned down by the Securities and Exchange Commission. SocialFunds.com — Dominion Virginia Power wants […]

April 30, 2016 Second Benchmark of Corporate Human Rights Performance Launches    by Robert Kropp KnowTheChain, founded in 2013 to address California’s Supply Chain Transparency Act, will initially benchmark the human rights performance of 20 companies in the information and communications technology industry sector. SocialFunds.com — The endorsement, in 2010, by the United Nations’ Human […]

April 29, 2016 Institutional Investors Support Increase in Solar Deployment    by Robert Kropp The Green Infrastructure Investment Coalition, launched during the COP21 negotiations, now counts over $60 trillion in assets under management supporting a trillion dollar investment in solar. SocialFunds.com — Sustainable institutional investors have always expressed their support for moving their investments toward […]

April 22, 2016 Despite Climate Commitments, World Bank Still Funding Fossil Fuels    by Robert Kropp Oil Change International reports that the World Bank Group’s investments in fossil fuel exploration actually increased in 2015, to $313 million. SocialFunds.com — Even before the potentially historic COP21 agreement in Paris—and well before today’s Earth Day signing—the World […]

April 15, 2016 Investors Challenge Food Companies on Antibiotics    by Robert Kropp The collaborative investor network Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return writes to ten of the largest restaurant chains, requesting policies addressing overuse of medically necessary antibiotics. SocialFunds.com — In 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that antimicrobial resistance posed potentially dire […]

April 11, 2016 Walden Updates Shareowner Action on Lobbying    by Robert Kropp Tim Smith of Walden Asset Management posts update on the 50 shareowner proposal addressing corporate lobbying expenditures filed this proxy season. SocialFunds.com — For more than a decade, the Center for Political Accountability (CPA) and its sustainable investor allies have advocated with […]

April 01, 2016 Investors Win Battles for Shareowner Votes on Climate at Exxon    by Robert Kropp Resolutions addressing the moral imperative of limiting climate change and the manner in which the company reports oil reserves replacement will appear on proxy ballot following SEC decision. SocialFunds.com — The science of climate change has been definitive […]

March 31, 2016 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark Launched    by Robert Kropp Members of the Corporate Human Rights Benchmark complete methodology based in part on UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and plan to publish the first benchmark of corporate human rights performance in November. SocialFunds.com — After more than a year of […]

March 21, 2016 Community Capital Management Publishes Annual Impact Report    by Robert Kropp In a webinar, Chief Impact Investment Officer David Sand emphasizes the importance the sustainable fixed income firm places on environmental and social impacts. SocialFunds.com — The third annual Impact Report of Community Capital Management (CCM), a sustainable fixed income investment advisor […]

March 11, 2016 As You Sow Publishes 2016 Proxy Preview    by Robert Kropp Report authors Heidi Welsh and Michael Passoff detail a total of 314 pending shareowner resolutions, the majority of which target environmental issues and corporate political activities. SocialFunds.com — Every proxy season, sustainable shareowners are gifted with two publications designed to educate […]

By Robert Kropp. The Global Impact Investing Network finds ample opportunities for increased sustainable investment in the region, but acknowledges that challenges to development persist.

By Robert Kropp. Members of the faith-based investor organization have filed 257 shareowner resolutions thus far this proxy season, with climate change and corporate political expenditures receiving the most attention.

By Robert Kropp. Gerald Friedman, staff economist for the Center for Popular Economics, analyzes the Sanders economic platform and concludes that new revenue streams make the ambitious plan feasible.

By Robert Kropp. Citing the opportunities in addressing climate change, the President’s budget proposal will include a $10 per barrel fee on oil that will be used to build a sustainable national transportation infrastructure.

By Robert Kropp. The oil and gas giant challenges a shareowner resolution from Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility members, requesting that it commit to global temperature increase limits.

By Robert Kropp. The sustainable investment firm reports on its shareowner action during the 2015 proxy season, and begins 2016 with resolutions addressing corporate climate change lobbying and emissions reporting.

By Robert Kropp. The fund tracker Morningstar ranks the performance of the firm’s fixed income investment product among the top one percent of 309 funds in the intermediate government category.

By Robert Kropp. The organization collaborates with CookESG Research to provide an online tool for searching corporate filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission on carbon asset risks and other sustainability factors. Third in a three-part series.

By Robert Kropp. A shareowner initiative coordinated by Walden Asset Management requests that fossil fuel companies disclose lobbying activities and review public policy advocacy on energy policy and climate change. Second in a three-part series.

By Robert Kropp. With COP21 Climate Conference in Paris ending with agreement intended to keep global temperature increase below two degrees Celsius, investors envision portfolios focused on renewable energy. First in a three-part series.

By Robert Kropp. A proposal submitted by Zevin Asset Management, requesting that the mutual fund company assess any incongruities in its proxy voting practices relating to climate change, is allowed onto proxy ballot by the SEC.

By Robert Kropp. The American Friends Service Committee publishes research on for-profit prison companies and recommends that investors divest their holdings in five.

By Robert Kropp. In the wake of reports detailing the oil giant’s duplicity on climate change, the Union of Concerned Scientists join legislators and others in urging a Department of Justice investigation.

By Robert Kropp. HSBC and Crdit Agricole finance environmentally destructive projects and rank at the bottom of major banks in implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Second in a two-part series.

By Robert Kropp. Eight climate change mitigation or adaptation projectsthree in Africa, three in Asia-Pacific, and two in Latin Americamark the end of the Green Climate Fund’s two-year launch period and the beginning of providing financing to developing nations. First in a two-part series.

By Robert Kropp. A new study by Fair Finance Guide and BankTrack reveals that since 2009, investment in fossil fuels by 75 of the world’s largest financial institutions is more than nine times greater than investment in renewable energy.

By Robert Kropp. A year after Boston Common Asset Management organized an investor initiative, major global banks continue to fail to account for greenhouse gas emissions in their lending and underwriting portfolios.

By Robert Kropp. A 2008 ERISA standard that has discouraged pension plan fiduciaries from considering environmental and social factors in investment strategy has finally been repealed.

By Robert Kropp. SocialFunds.com talks with Art Tabuenca, founder of Blue Marble Investments and EarthFolio, about the development of the first online investment platform specifically dedicated to sustainable investing.

By Robert Kropp. Even before member companies of the Oil and Gas Climate initiative issued a statement supporting a climate deal in Paris in December, the Union of Concerned Scientists question the extent of the industry’s commitment.

By Robert Kropp. After two reports identify research into global warming by the oil giant as far back as the 1970s, two members of the House of Representatives call on the Justice Department to investigate the corporation for its campaign to deceive the American public about the risks of climate change.

By Robert Kropp. A global perception of his moral authority may contribute momentum to a meaningful deal at December’s climate talks in Paris.

By Robert Kropp. More than 100 institutional investors call for passage in Congress of The Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act of 2015.