Americans have trillions of dollars invested around the world, providing capital for companies to innovate, solve problems, strengthen communities and improve quality of life in a myriad of ways.
Or they may use that capital to do quite the opposite.
Fortunately, the era of “unexamined investing” is ending. The private sector yields incredible power to solve problems or extend them. Finally, everyday investors have the opportunity to direct their capital to the former, not the latter.
Investing to reach your financial goals
AND
Investing in the world you want
Investing to reach your financial goals
AND
Investing in the world you want
Brighter Investing is a fee-only “Public Benefit” Registered Investment Adviser specializing in sustainable & impact investing. We work with individual investors, families, and organizations to build long-term investment portfolios to align their investments with their values.
We want this decision to be easy, so we offer 3 service options: A full-service financial advisory model, an “investment-only” option, and consulting.
Full-service financial advisory for individuals & families
- Retirement planning
- Estate planning
- Tax-loss harvesting
- Portfolio construction
- Investment management
- General financial guidance
Already have (or don’t need) an advisor? No problem!
We offer investment-only services for clients looking to invest thematically with a portion of their assets – a percentage, perhaps, or a single account that you’d like to upgrade. It’s an easy way to get started with sustainable & impact investing without forcing a major decision or a breakup with an advisor you may really like.
Investment management/ consulting for organizations & advisors
We also provide investment management for organizations (nonprofit and for-profit) to align their public market investments with their mission. In addition, if you’re an organization or advisory firm that needs more sustainable investing expertise, let’s talk about how we can help.
Do what you can with what you have where you are.
Theodore RooseveltPOPULAR INVESTMENT THEMES
Environmental Sustainability
Fossil-Free Portfolios*
Renewable Energy
Food & Water
Gender Diversity
Education
*If you’re concerned about the environment, pollution and everything else tied to climate, you may wonder about divesting from fossil fuels in your investment portfolio. And we can help. We’ll work with you to implement strategies while balancing your need to achieve your financial goals.
LET’S BUILD A BETTER FUTURE
We start with robust financial analysis
Good financial management starts with people, not portfolios. So our first conversations will focus on your financial life and goals. If you’ve worked with an excellent advisor in the past, you’ll be familiar with risk tolerance assessments, financial projections and plans designed to help you reach your goals. (Not familiar? No worries!)
Yes, we do that. It’s standard practice. The baseline. We don’t end there.
Then we explore the world you want
We ALSO talk about the environmental, social, humanitarian, and other issues your investments can support. We want to discover what you care about and incorporate what matters to you & your family.
Once we’ve assessed your needs AND your wants, we’ll develop that diversified portfolio that’s practical for your needs AND incorporates your personal values.
Traditional financial expertise & leading on the issues
Sustainable & impact investing is our specialty, the core of our business, not an add-on service upon request. We’re in business to make a lasting impact in the lives of our clients, communities, and global society (including our planet).
To specialize in this area, we need to be able to
Evaluate the expertise of our money managers on the ISSUES, not just their financial performance
Ask tough questions of our money managers about the specific solutions they may include in their investments
Identify the managers and strategies that we believe can deliver the greatest impact and performance for our clients and the causes they care about.
That’s why we’re choosing to build our firm’s expertise around the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (aka the “SDGs” or “Global Goals”).
In 2015, the 193 countries in the UN General Assembly adopted these 17 goals to mobilize all countries, rich and poor, to “end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change while ensuring that no one is left behind.” While the goals overlap in many ways, each goal is also distinct with specific, measurable targets to achieve by 2030.
This framework is enjoying widespread adoption for many reasons including transparency, clarity and inclusiveness. For us, it’s an established set of goals and metrics that we plan to use as:
- A tool for evaluating an investment strategy for its potential impact (relative and absolute)
- A structure for building out our firm’s resources, experts and leadership on the issues that matter
- A system to guide the due diligence and ongoing monitoring we do with our money managers, particularly their expertise in the business, economic, social & governance issues that can drive the impact goals their investments purport to support
- A source of metrics for impact reporting that can celebrate our clients’ investment choices individually and collectively
Questions to ask an advisor about sustainable investing
How can you assess whether an advisor has real expertise in sustainable investing? Here are seven helpful questions you can ask.
Be sure to ask these questions of us or your current advisor — preferably both!
- Describe your training, knowledge & experience with sustainable and impact investing. And why does it interest you?
- How do you build portfolios around environmental, social, humanitarian and other issues your clients care about?
- What kind of investments have you recommended for clients like me? And can you show me a sample portfolio?
- How do you define “greenwashing?” In addition, how do you identify companies/funds that aren’t sustainable or impact investments?
- How do you choose and monitor your fund managers? And can you explain your criteria and process ?
- How active are you in selecting investments for positive impact versus simply relying on negative screening?
- Measurement and reporting: How do you measure the impact of my investments along with financial performance?