As we all grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic alongside widespread protests after the deaths of George Floyd and others, many asset owners are trying to determine how they can activate their investment portfolios to advance racial and social equity more broadly. We’ve identified three steps investors should take to help address racial inequities in an investment context.
There is perhaps no better time for social equity investing. Many institutional investors have long sought to promote social equity through grant making and other philanthropic endeavors. With the field of impact investing maturing, these institutions are now increasingly seeking investment solutions to accomplish the same goal. In this paper we review the current state of social equity in the United States, highlight eight core social equity issue areas, and discuss the lessons we’ve learned in constructing portfolios with these investments. While investors need to be mindful of risks, we believe that investments can be made to promote a social equity impact agenda across the portfolio.
Before incorporating impact investments into their portfolios, we encourage families to define the overall context for their impact investments. Our contextual framework—focused on purpose, priorities, and principles—establishes the base of impact strategy and guides the development of governance structures. These elements will help ensure that family values and decision-making processes are advantages rather than obstacles in pursuing impact investing goals and objectives.