Insights - Page 17 of 28 - Natural Investments

2026 Impact & Public Benefit Report

The 2026 Impact & Public Benefit Report outlines how Natural Investments creates positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes through its investments, internal practices, and industry advocacy. It showcases data and stories about our firm’s impact on communities, our work to advance a more just form of capitalism, and our leadership in promoting racial equity and inclusive ownership. Download the full report. Annual Company Letter: The Era of Resistance and Resilience by Michael Kramer 2026 Sustainable And Responsible Impact 2026 Shareholder Advocacy Highlights by Michael Kramer

Natural Investments July 17, 2026

Moves to Make Before Tax Time

As you clean up the corks and streamers from New Year’s celebrations, finances may not be top of mind. With the holiday season fuss, many people forget to check on year-end to-dos in December. Good news: there’s still time to make some moves that can positively impact your 2021 tax situation and your overall financial

Kirbie Crowe January 14, 2022

Invested In Racism – Asset Manager Woke-Washing

So you have money invested with Vanguard, BlackRock, State Street, or Fidelity, and you recently heard that these Asset Managers have failed to utilize their power as large shareholders of publicly traded companies to address structural racism. You don’t want your money held at, or managed by a Company that is supporting voter suppression and

Nicole Middleton January 14, 2022

Shareholder Advocacy Review – Winter 2022

We finally get to take some victory laps! After years battling the previous administration, we are finally seeing executive branch actions that roll back its archaic rules and guidance that clearly benefited corporations and not investors. SUCCESSES The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for example, recently issued new guidance addressing the criteria by which shareholders

Michael Kramer January 14, 2022

The Deal with Donor-Advised Funds

After wrapping up another season of end-of- year requests from non-profits, it seems to make sense to take a broader look at philanthropy and charitable giving. Philanthropy in the U.S. is a massive undertaking. In 2020 Americans gave $471 billion to charitable causes. That is almost the same amount the federal government generally spends every

Brady Quirk-Garvan January 14, 2022

In the News – Winter 2022

1: DESPITE SPILLS AND AIR POLLUTION, FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES AWARD CEOS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL RECORDS Executive bonus programs at fossil fuel companies, meant to encourage better environmental practices, evolved to allow firms to award executives full bonuses even in years with major environmental damage or total emission increases. Washington Post 2:NAVIGATING THE THICKET OF ESG METRICS

Natural Investments January 14, 2022

Market Report – Winter 2022

The stock market ended the final quarter of the year with some measures higher and some measures lower, though for the year markets were solidly higher. For 2021, large company stocks rose 28.7%, small company stocks rose 14.8%, and foreign stocks were up 11.3%. Domestic bonds for the year were down 1.5 percent. The initial

Scott Secrest January 14, 2022

Planning for the Inevitability of Loss

The past year was defined by incomprehensible loss—and for many, the losses were personal. In May, my father-in-law Bernie passed away on his 94th birthday. In the end, he said he was ready to go, but we are mourning the loss of an attentive and engaged family man who was like a second father to

Kirbie Crowe December 20, 2021

Investing with Intent – Fall 2021

Wall Street Wakes Up to SRI by James Frazier Capitalism: Reformation or Revolution? with Carrie VanWinkle A Conversation: Ebony Perkins of Self-Help Credit Union with Brady Quirk-Garvan Shareholder Advocacy Review – Fall 2021 Market Report – Fall 2021 In the News – Fall 2021 Download a full PDF copy here: Investing with Intent – Fall

Natural Investments October 19, 2021

Capitalism: Reformation or Revolution?

My conversation with Esther Park of Cienega Capital for my Smart & Soulful Money® podcast brought me more clarity and also opened my thinking to what’s possible. I hope it does something similar for you! A few of my takeaways from our conversation include a more grounded idea of change based on growing up through

Carrie Van Winkle October 19, 2021

Wall Street Wakes Up to SRI

Socially responsible investing (SRI) isn’t the quietly progressive corner of the financial industry that it once was. For decades, SRI has been practiced primarily by small, independent boutique investment firms. For better or worse, the old landscape has dramatically changed in recent years with record inflows of investor cash and large Wall Street firms looking

Natural Investments October 19, 2021