Insights - Natural Investments

2024 Annual Impact Report

Racial Equity & Justice Giving Natural Investments donates at least half of its annual charitable contributions towards racial equity and justice organizations, particularly those working on financial and economic issues. Annual Company Letter – Being the Change In the past seven years, Natural Investments successfully achieved gender parity and attained 24% advisors of color. Our plan had always been to gradually sell ownership stakes to these younger advisors, but our unanticipated growth in assets under management brought a much higher company valuation. It became prohibitively

Natural Investments July 26, 2024

2024 Annual Company Letter – Being the Change

Our founder, Jack Brill, started as a socially responsible investment advisor in 1985. Jack and his son Hal ran a thriving, father-son business for 22 years, and when I joined Natural Investments in 2000, we became a firm. Manager Christopher Peck and I became co-owners in 2007 and one of the first B Corps in

Michael Kramer July 26, 2024

2024 Racial Equity & Justice Giving

Natural Investments donates at least half of its annual charitable contributions towards racial equity and justice organizations, particularly those working on financial and economic issues. In addition, our advisors donate a percentage of their gross revenue to charitable organizations. Many of our contributions are featured on our website: naturalinvestments.com/about/charitable-contributions/

Natural Investments July 26, 2024

2024 Sustainable & Responsible Impact

Investors continue to pursue sustainable and socially responsible investing (SRI) in 2023, despite attacks on ESG policies from conservative spheres and the Federal Reserve’s efforts to shrink the economy. Natural Investments has more than doubled its holdings in the last five years. In the last year alone, Natural Investments grew 22% to $1.44 billion in

Natural Investments July 26, 2024

2024 Shareholder Advocacy – Wielding Influence

The popularity of socially responsible investing (SRI) reached new heights in the past year. A recent JP Morgan study, “Sustainable Investing on the Rise,” revealed 82% of investors are very interested in sustainable investing and plan to increase their commitment to it in the next two years. Investors shared their investment priorities of climate change

Michael Kramer July 26, 2024

2024 Regenerative Investments

Natural Investments refers to private market investments as “regenerative” because this economic capital attempts to mimic natural ecosystems. It provides integrative cycles of financial support and opportunity while minimizing toxic social and environmental repercussions. Regenerative investing is a stewardship approach to assure future generations share in the bounty of clean air and water, healthy food,

Natural Investments July 26, 2024

Spotlight: Capital Impact Partners – A Case for Fair Finance

According to the 2022 census, 11.5% of the U.S. population lives in poverty. That’s nearly 38 million people. Living in poverty means earning less than $15,060 per year for an individual, or $31,200 for a family of four. It also means struggling to access quality food, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. In some communities, the

Amy Pender July 26, 2024

Spotlight: Organically Grown Company

Long-time followers of the organic food industry have seen many of their favorite companies bought out by corporations that do not share their values. General Mills bought Annie’s a decade ago. Dairy brand Horizon Organic is now owned by the global investment firm Platinum Equity. Kellanova (formerly Kellogg’s), Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo are also

Susan Taylor July 26, 2024

2024 Summer Market Report

The stock market finished second quarter higher with large-company stocks up 4.3%. Small-company stocks finished lower, down 3.3%, and foreign stocks were also down 0.4% for the period. Bonds were up 0.5% as traders weighted the probability of Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cuts later this year. The stock market has been supported by a

Scott Secrest July 22, 2024

Spotlight: Local Code Kansas City – Addressing a Community’s Racial Wealth Gap through Real Estate Ownership

LocalCode Kansas City is a Black woman-owned, regenerative real estate development company based in the east side of Kansas City, Mo. The company, co-founded by Ajia Morris, an attorney, real estate developer, mother of four, and longtime resident of the east side’s urban core, was created to directly address the city’s intergenerational racial wealth inequality

Malaika Maphalala July 10, 2024

Investing with Intent – Spring 2024

This newsletter, “Investing with Intent,” is distributed to clients and friends of Natural Investments, PBLLC (NI). NI is an investment adviser registered with the SEC.

Natural Investments April 2, 2024