Our overarching goal at Natural Investments is protecting the planet and developing innovative solutions to work in harmony with mother nature and human society. It includes building a culture that works for everyone by supporting women, Indigenous Peoples, People of Color and other underserved communities. As of 2021, Natural Investments has directed $188 million into 66 private entities supporting the public good for people and planet in a regenerative economy. More than 40% are companies led by women, while a quarter are BIPOC-led.
There are 33 enterprises with third-party certifications and 39 institutions with a legal corporate structure committed to the public good while operating as a for-profit entity. Prioritizing firms with a certification and/or legal social charter gives stronger assurances that funds will be genuinely value-aligned for impact purposes. Several social and environmental metrics that our funding achieved include:
- 3,678 women-owned or led businesses
- 4,455 new social enterprise jobs
- 5,662 BIPOC-owned or led businesses
- 151,817 housing units accessed in low-income areas
- 4.6B kWh of renewable energy produced
- 2,100,000 acres of sustainably managed forests/farmland
Often the highest impact can be achieved in local communities and smaller enterprises in the private market, where invested dollars circulate within the region instead of away into large institutions. The ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to continue focusing investments into companies with local or regional focus. Thus, regarding community investments, our funding increased by 55% from the previous year to $385 million. See full 2021 Social Impact Report – Natural Investments
