Positive Investment

On (3), educational institutions can help to accelerate the just, low-carbon transition, by investing on the primary market in environmental and social solutions. This is in the space of debt, private equity and venture capital, where invested £ creates opportunity. 5/5

On (2), universities and their asset managers can use their clout as investors to engage with companies across the board. They must work to ensure that companies have a credible plan to achieve net-zero, value workers and communities, and protect biodiversity. 4/5

Yesterday's announcement by @Cambridge_Uni to divest from fossil fuels is a powerful statement that says "we don't want to: a) profit from your business model; b) be exposed to your risks" This was a huge achievement! And it opens the door for a series of opportunities... 1/5

Universities are respected institutions with sizeable endowments Problem: They often neglect the role of investment in shaping graduates' futures In the future: Universities invest in a thoughtful and transparent way, consistent with their academic values #ChangeFinanceForGood

Companies disclose data in annual reports and investors assess their "ESG” performance. Problem: ESG ratings are easily gamed and investors don't understand what's "under the hood”. In the future: international standards and auditing ensures proper scrutiny #ChangeFinanceForGood

Fiduciary duty: legal obligations in money management Problem: Too many money managers view it as a narrow duty to maximise profit, even though this is outdated In the future: It will be used to enforce a positive commitment to environment and society #ChangeFinanceForGood

It's time to get thinking - let's #ChangeFinanceForGood! @PIOxford are inviting you to take stock in these unprecedented times and to consider what a bold and positive future for finance might look like.

Re-building finance and investment has wide-reaching implications. This article highlights clear issues with the current 'maximisation of shareholder value' paradigm and rightly advocates for a more intentional approach to capitalism. #LetsGetItRightThisTime

Internal and external pressure are all-important in the fight for a better world. Finance professionals understand the pressure points in the markets and they know where the fastest change can be achieved. Underestimate them at your own risk. ft.com/content/affc10…

Investors in the @ActOnClimate100 #ClimateAction100 demonstrating leadership and the power of engagement. @Shell commits to carbon emissions targets. ft.com/content/de658f…

#PositiveInvestment continues to develop. New investment, new value. "It is now becoming easier for individual investors to get involved. A new investment trust, The Global Sustainability Trust from asset manager Aberdeen Standard, will list on the stock market later this month."

I had a great time on Tuesday moderating the panel of the Clare Sustainable Investment Society launch. Lovely to talk with @Jamescorah @roblake1959 and Ellen Quigley of @PlusInvestment. Great Qs from the floor, and thought-provoking discussion afterwards. facebook.com/pg/Clare-Susta…

This video looks back on how we sued the UK government over illegal levels of #airpollution – and won. Our success confirms the power of the law to achieve systemic change. clientearth.org/how-to-start-a…

Again, seats of power in industry struggle to align their interests with those of government and of the people. Let's fix the financial system and use #PositiveInvestment to align the interests of publicly-owned corporations with the common good, not the other way around.

Not unreasonable to expect that the first countries to invest in new technologies, also get the manufacturing jobs. #renewables #PositiveInvestment

We need an investment solution. We need the mobilisation of trillions of dollars in assets to climate-saving infrastructure. If we do not, we will experience great human and financial losses. (poor harvests, disrupted supply chains, damaged infrastructure)

It is surprising how applicable this is to many industries #Oil. Everyone likes to believe they work for ethical companies, or at least that their job is ethical. Sadly, these same people are often unaware of or don't acknowledge their company's role in lobbying government.