This quarter’s issue of Investing with Intent examines how values-aligned investing is responding to today’s political, economic, and regulatory shifts—challenging the radical changes proposed at the Securities and Exchange Commission, offering a primer on socially responsible investing, and as well as a hearfelt appreciation for a pair of long-time NI advisors taking their next chapter
Have you ever thought the only way you can make a positive impact with money is to give it away? That’s not the case. Socially screened funds, community investing and spending with organizations you love are also ways that money can be activated for good. In this article we’ll cover the basics of these first
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
Natural Investments, through its involvement with the Shareholder Rights Group, met with SEC Chairman Paul Atkins earlier this year. We expressed concerns regarding the commission’s decision to eliminate its written responses to companies wanting to exclude shareholder proposals from ballots, noting that it deprives companies and investors clarity about the permissibility of proposals and works
Social movements are grappling with a deepening crisis — one measured not only in lost funding, but in the collective emotional toll of watching philanthropy quietly walk back promises to Black and brown communities. Much of this retreat stems from a chilling effect across the philanthropic sector, as foundations and funders grow increasingly fearful of
Stories of Resilience: Philanthropic Organizations are Sustaining Movements Under Attack Read More »
This article was first published in the March issue of Green Money Journal Two years ago, Natural Investments became the first financial advisory firm in the United States to convert itself into a perpetual purpose trust. For our firm, this was not just a legal milestone. It was an ethics-driven decision about the future of
Why a Perpetual Purpose Trust Model Works for Sustainable Investing Firms Read More »
For anyone following the financial news cycle, it’s hard to miss the increasingly heated debate around sustainable, responsible, and impact (SRI) investing. Detractors—often speaking from an ideological position on the right—argue that SRI promotes progressive values in corporate boardrooms. Supporters counter that these strategies have generally performed in line with traditional portfolios while helping to
Rewriting the Rules: Aligning Profit and Purpose with SRI Read More »
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
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
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
Spotlight: Capital Impact Partners – A Case for Fair Finance Read More »