Everybody is talking about sustainability and diversity. This month we’re featuring a few examples from the world of politics, business, and sports. We’ve also made some updates to our website – be sure to check out our new “Fighting Style” quiz to help you identify what kind of sustainable investing strategy is a good fit for you.
How is the world fixing to change?
This compelling book by Peter Zeihan talks about how the world we live in isn’t sustainable. His arguments are more about geopolitical changes than they are about environmental risks or social inequalities – the E and S in ESG. But whatever the cause, the outcome is the same – as someone who saves money for the future, your fortunes are closely tied to how good banks, investment firms, and companies are at identifying and managing sustainability challenges.
Seeing Value in Diverse Business
Alexis Ohanian, a venture capital superstar and husband to Serena Williams, is adamant about how the current investment world misses out on truly obvious investment opportunities because they refuse to see value in diverse business propositions. His TikTok lays out the argument very succinctly. “The free market has dictated that the influence [of successful female athletes] is worth millions of dollars a year to brands – not because it feels good, because it makes them money.”
Perspectives on Governane… From a Governor
This article in the New Yorker interviews new Maryland governor Wes Moore, who at one time worked as an investment banker. The experience taught him why governance – the G in ESG – is so important. “You cannot have a system that punishes people that play by rules and lets off people who don’t. I was working in finance during the financial crisis, and … I was hearing these conversations in which bankers were basically blaming schoolteachers who chose to buy a second home and did it on credit. It was, like, ‘Wow.'”
